United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby celebrates the opening of a new addition to its Flight Training Center in Denver, Colorado, on February 22, 2024.
Hyoung Chang | Denver Post | Getty Images
united airlines CEO Scott Kirby says he is optimistic about BoeingVolkswagen's recovery after meeting with the manufacturer's new CEO.
It's an optimistic shift in tone from the head of United, a major Boeing customer that has been among the most publicly frustrated by the planemaker's problems, which have led to delays in deliveries of dozens of planes.
Kirby and Boeing's new CEO, Robert “Kelly” Ortberg, had lunch earlier this week in the Dallas area. Kirby said in a LinkedIn post Thursday that “I was not only encouraged by what I heard, but I also walked away with renewed confidence that Boeing is on the right path and will recover faster than most expect.”
United has 484 pending orders from Boeing, according to the manufacturer's website.
Ortberg also met with American Airlines Chief Executive Robert Isom earlier this week, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak to the media.
Ortberg, who previously ran commercial and defense supplier Rockwell Collins and has more than three decades of experience in the aerospace industry, took the reins at Boeing a week ago and spent part of his first day at Boeing’s 737 production plant in Renton, Washington. Ortberg will be based in Seattle, a change from previous leaders.
“His engineering background at Rockwell Collins, combined with an instinct for rapport with his frontline teams in Seattle, make for a winning combination,” Kirby wrote Thursday. “It was clear from our conversation that he is 100% committed, understands the cultural shifts needed to turn things around, and is committed to listening to his employees and customers.”
United and other major customers such as Southwest Airlines Boeing has been dealing with delayed planes as it tries to recover from its latest safety crisis following the explosion of a door plug on a Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 earlier this year.
No one was seriously injured in the crash, which occurred because bolts holding the door stopper in place were not installed before the airline received the plane, but came after a series of other manufacturing defects in Boeing planes.
“In speaking with our customers and industry partners before today, I can tell you that, without exception, they all want us to succeed,” Ortberg said in a note to staff on his first day last Thursday. “In many cases, they NEED us to succeed.”
