Aircraft manufacturer Boeing announced on January 29 a net loss of $ 636 million for 2019, the first in 22 years, due to the setbacks of its 737 MAX grounded since March 13 after two close accidents that killed 346 people.
The new managing director of the American group, David Calhoun, tried to reassure, displaying a certain humility after the calamitous management of the crisis of his predecessor, Dennis Muilenburg, forced to leave.
"I will bring realism (…) to each step of the process (to make the Max fly over) and I will listen to all those who are directly involved in this process", he said on CNBC television on Wednesday. Promising permanent listening to help "To reduce anxiety", he estimated that this will restore confidence in Boeing.
In 2018, Boeing reported net earnings of $ 10.5 billion. The year 2019 is only the fourth year in deficit in 104 years of history for the American aircraft manufacturer.
A $ 18.4 billion bill
The loss was due to additional charges of approximately $ 9.2 billion, as MAX's grounding efforts led Boeing to suspend deliveries and production indefinitely. The bill now stands at $ 18.4 billion, almost half of which relates to compensation from airlines forced to cancel tens of thousands of flights.
It also takes into account production costs – since the MAX continued to be produced until December -, potential aid to subcontractors and the absence of job cuts and measures of technical unemployment.
This slate does not, however, include potential agreements with the families of the victims and the American authorities, who are investigating the accidents and the development of the MAX.
The return to service of the 737 Max announced in mid-2020
Boeing postponed the return to service of the Max until mid-2020. "I think we can meet these deadlines", assured CNBC David Calhoun, at the helm of the group since January 13. Promising transparency and a change of culture at Boeing, he nevertheless warned that the timetable was dictated by the civil aviation authorities.
Steve Dickson, the head of the US Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), has informed bosses of American companies that his agency should approve the MAX in mid-2020, a source told AFP last week. regulatory.
The MCAS anti-stall system has been implicated in the two MAX tragedies. In addition, other problems, including a fault on a microprocessor, another on electrical wiring and a third related to the software ensuring the proper functioning of the MCAS at startup, were detected.
Boeing lost its crown as the world's leading civil aircraft manufacturer, now owned by its European rival Airbus, after recording an order book in the red (-87 net aircraft) and a 53% plunge in deliveries in 2019.
