Farnborough Airshow: Boeing Takes a Backseat at Top Aviation Fair

When the Farnborough Airshow opens on Monday outside London, Boeing’s commercial airliners will be notably absent from the static and flying displays.

After months of rumors suggesting a quiet exhibition for the American aerospace giant, Boeing has confirmed it will not bring any test aircraft to the biennial fair. It’s a decision that aligns with a new corporate focus on safety and meeting client demand.

“We are concentrated on implementing our comprehensive safety and quality plan and meeting our customer commitments,” said Dr. Brendan Nelson AO, president of Boeing Global, in a statement.

This year, Boeing is adapting its presence at Farnborough to prioritize “factory safety and quality,” as announced earlier this week. The company will conduct only a few briefings and will not participate in the flying display.

“We have reduced our commercial airplanes display and flight demonstrations at the show and will focus on new technology, sustainability, security, and services solutions,” he added.

This marks a clear contrast to 2022 when Boeing’s participation at the fair was robust. The company showcased several commercial jets, including the 737 MAX 10 and the 777X, both of which were part of the daily flying display. Boeing also reported a total of 176 firm orders for commercial passenger jets, doubling the 85 orders of arch-rival Airbus, including a notable order for 100 737 MAX 10 planes from Delta Air Lines.

This week, neither the 737 MAX nor the 777X — the current and future workhorses of Boeing’s fleet — will be present, not even on the static display.

For Boeing, Farnborough could not have come at a worse time, as the company continues to grapple with the fallout from the 737 MAX disasters that killed a total of 346 people and other safety concerns, most notably the midair blowout that left a hole in the side of Alaska Flight 1282 as it lifted off from Portland in January.

Directly related to the 2018 and 2019 deaths from the two 737 MAX crashes, Boeing just agreed on July 7 to plead guilty to one count of defrauding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials after accepting what one of the victims’ lawyers called a “sweetheart deal” with the federal government.

Also, just five months before David Calhoun’s planned retirement at the end of the year, it is still unclear who will lead the company once he leaves.

Boeing did receive a major boost just before the show with the FAA granting Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) for the 777X. This approval allows the start of test flights needed for the 777-9 to gain passenger service approval that’s crucial for Boeing’s commercial airline business.

Experts contacted by Newsweek have differing opinions about Boeing’s limited participation at Farnborough. Some view it as a “missed opportunity,” while others believe it “makes sense given the current scenario.”

Addison Schonland, an aviation industry expert and co-founder of AirInsight, questions the decision not to show off any new planes.

“It’s not exactly clear why Boeing decided not to bring any models to the fair, but if you don’t showcase what you have, even in development, it doesn’t add value to your brand or demonstrate it to the market,” said Schonland.

Larry Kopp, a public-relations expert and founder of the TASC Group, said Boeing’s decision was the right one, emphasizing to the flying public that the company is determined to focus on safety and security.

“Pitching new products is not the right move; that’s a denial message. Of course, there will be detractors, but the message now has to be about safety, reflection, looking internally, acknowledging mistakes, acknowledging the lack of culture, and rebuilding the company,” Kopp told Newsweek.

For decades, the Farnborough Airshow has been one of the world’s top venues for planemakers like Boeing and Airbus to announce billions of dollars in orders. This year, however, the show is likely to be overshadowed by growing airline frustration over plane shortages and delays out of the two competitors that make up nearly the entire commercial aircraft market. Like Boeing, Airbus is going through a rough patch, though the European company’s issues are primarily due to lingering supply-chain problems.

Meanwhile, airline executives are increasingly frustrated with the long waits for new product. Boeing is expected to announce a new 777X order for more than 20 jets from Korean Air, while carriers such as Japan Airlines are reportedly close to finalizing recent tentative orders. Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines have also indicated they are in the market for new jets.

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