Q: Does Boeing have a specific mission for Asian Aerospace?
A: I don't think we have a specific mission. Our belief is that we are market leader in long-haul transportation for commercial airplanes and we will be talking to our customers and colleagues about a number of issues like safety and security and quality.
Q: Post 11 September, what is the mood at Boeing Commercial Airplanes?
A: I think as we look forward in 2002 we are starting to feel cautiously optimistic. Some customers are now telling us that loads are rising and traffic seems to be picking up again.
Q: Post 11 September, Boeing re-focused its marketing effort from product to reassuring the travelling public about flying. How did it go?
A: I think we are pleased we did it. I feel that customers and the airlines are also pleased and that it has had a positive effect on the flying public. At Christmas we had employees act as volunteers going out to the airport at Seattle to talk to passengers and reassure them of the fundamentals of flying. The message is that this is a great system that has been developed over 80 years enabling people all over the world to get together. The events of 11 September had a profound effect on the system and things will never be the same again. But out of this we will create a system that will prevent anything like this happening again.
Q: Describe progress on enhanced aircraft security.
A: We are talking to customers about things like cockpit doors and the measures we can take to make them stronger. There is also a new system we are looking at that monitors what is going on in the cabin.
Q: Airbus has said that in the currently poor economic climate it is not discounting prices on aircraft sales. What is the Boeing position?
A: You have to look at the market at any given time. We believe we have most of the top 25 airlines: they are fundamentally Boeing customers. At any time we are listening to customers and their requirements and always trying to provide a Boeing solution.
Q: Tell us about the so-called Quiet Boeing 747 programme and what response there has been from potential customers.
A: You will have to wait until Asian Aerospace for an answer on that. Then we will talk about the next steps for the 747. It is going to be quieter and it will fly farther. It will be the longest range commercial transportation airplane flying.
Q: How do you see the prospects for the Asia-Pacific market?
A: Short term, it's probably coming back faster than the United States or Europe. Long-term, we see it as the biggest market sector we will be competing in over the next 20 years.
Source: Flight Daily News
