Boeing demonstrated the 737-700 to Sabena at Brussels in October and is discussing a maintenance joint venture with the Belgian airline as it seeks to beat Airbus Industrie to an order from the Belgian airline.
Workers at Sabena Technics are concerned about their future should Airbus succeed with the A319, as they believe that maintenance work would be transferred to Shannon Aerospace. Tom Basacchi, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group vice-president Europe/Russia, says that Boeing has made "a very aggressive business offer".
Basacchi explains that many of Boeing's Next Generation customers in Europe have asked it to support their maintenance needs and that it is discussing such joint opportunities with Sabena.
Source: Flight International
