Sees Increased 787 Output By 2009 Even As Lines Are Idle
Even with its airliner assembly lines currently idled by a
machinists strike, Boeing is looking towards the future -- with
plans already to increase production of an aircraft that hasn't
even been fully assembled yet.
As reported in the Malaysian newspaper The Star, 787 program VP
and general manager Mike Bair told Asia-Pacific journalists via
teleconference Friday that Boeing is strongly considering raising
production numbers of the new "Dreamliner" after 2009, just one
year after the new medium-duty jet enters service.
“Total customer
interest right now is almost 60 airlines, with about 850
airplanes," said Bair. "This is clearly a phenomenal market
response to the 787 and we could not be more pleased."
Bair also hinted at "further proposal activities" for the
Dreamliner, which is seen as the future standard-bearer for the
storied US aircraft manufacturer. This could mean "at least 500
units of airplanes," according to Bair.
Asia is clearly the where Boeing is focusing most of its
energies on at the moment, as airlines in that burgeoning market
are expanding very quickly to meet increased demand. China alone
reported 121 million trips last year.
It is widely rumored that Boeing even changed the aircraft's
original designation of 7E7 in part due to the number "8" being
regarded as lucky in China. Nearly all of the 195 confirmed orders
that Boeing has received to date for the Dreamliner have been to
Asian carriers.
Before production can be expanded, however, the lines must be
producing in the first place.
Day Three of the International Association of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers strike, that union's first against Boeing in ten
years, saw production lines in three states idle while some of the
over 18,000 picketing employees talked of taking loans out against
their pension plans to cover long-term expenses.
As was reported earlier this week on ANN, the strike originated
with a payment offer that was regarded as "an insulting, take-away,
job-stealing offer" by Mark Blondin, president of District 751 of
the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Blondin made the comment to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
newspaper.
Most -- if not all --
of the striking workers consider Boeing's offer to be especially
weak, as the aircraft manufacturer is currently experiencing a boom
period. Sales of its jets are at a four-year high, even as Boeing
is locked in fierce competition with European rival Airbus for
business in the global market.
The last time machinists went out on strike against Boeing was
1995 -- they were off the job for 69 days.