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Boeing expects the new, larger version of the 777 to start being
delivered by late 2023, three years later than initially planned
with a longer certification process after scrutiny over the 737
MAX following two fatal crashes.
"We would like more visibility on when we are going to receive
this aeroplane and what exactly they are going to be able to do
with regard to the performance on the contractual side,
including propulsion," Emirates President Tim Clark told the
online World Aviation Festival.
Dubai's Emirates is a launch customer for the jet, which seats
up to 406 people. It originally ordered 150 but later converted
some of those orders to other aircraft. It now has 126 on order,
though Clark said that could be further revised up or down
depending on the information Boeing provides.
"We haven't (got) visibility on either delivery or on
performance at this stage in the game. So we are kind of
reserving our position on where we are on this aeroplane."
Clark said he expected there would be discussions in the next
few months with Boeing, which he hoped would be "grown-up"
conversations.
Boeing had no immediate comment when contacted by Reuters.
Clark said he had been told that some of the 777X systems had
not met European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
expectations and were now going to be changed.
However, he said he remained confident in Boeing and the
aircraft the U.S. planemaker builds.
"Boeing build very good aeroplanes. They design very good
aeroplanes I don't want to cast any doubt on that at all. It's
simply how they are built and under what conditions they are now
going to be built, what new quality control regulatory
requirements are coming in. That is slowing the whole process."
(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; editing by John Stonestreet
and Jason Neely)
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