Newly appointed sales vice-president predicts manufacturer will achieve market share dominance during 2005
Boeing will regain the market lead over Airbus this year for the first time since 2000, vows newly appointed commercial sales vice- president Scott Carson.
"We'll reverse market share in terms of orders pretty soon. We'll beat them [Airbus] this year," says Carson. "Normally there are two peaks in intensity – air shows and December. Our intent is to keep that pressure on all year," adds Carson, who was formerly president of Connexion by Boeing.
The last year that Boeing secured more orders than Airbus was 2000, but recent large-scale campaign victories in China and Europe with the 737, 777 and 787 have buoyed hopes of a Boeing rally.
Carson also adds that the 2004 decision to go public with a sales target of 200 787s by year-end was "in retrospect a pretty nuts thing to do in the press". He believes the disclosure hurt the sales efforts as "airlines probably wanted to see if they could do a few deals". Carson says the sales rate of the 787 is unrelated to the appearance of the A350, which he describes as a "non-factor".
The aircraft is "a warmed-over A330. It's heavy and it just doesn't weigh in the decision process". Boeing also plans to ramp up its marketing in areas such as Africa and the Middle East.
"These are areas where we hadn't paid as much attention as we should. Rebuilding these relationships has been a key part of this strategy."
Meanwhile, Boeing delivered 70 aircraft in the first quarter – six fewer than the same period last year. Airbus's output for the quarter was 87 aircraft.
GUY NORRIS/SEATTLE
Source: Flight International
