Lion Air could ditch multi billion-dollar order over Boeing ‘manipulation’
It is probably not a good business move to play the blame game with one of your biggest customers.
Plane maker Boeing could pay the price for deflecting blame on Lion Air for the deadly October crash which claimed 189 lives.
The co-founder of the Indonesian budget carrier is reportedly looking to cancel the airline’s large order for 737 MAX airplanes worth billions.
Lion Air founder Rusdi Kirana is ‘very upset with Boeing,’ an unnamed airline financier told Reuters.
Kirana is now Indonesia’s ambassador to Malaysia but still has a major influence at Lion Air.
He still has a 50% shareholding in the airline.
At stake are 188 Boeing MAX jets worth about $22 billion at list prices.
Lion had been looking to defer deliveries of these aircraft even before the crash.
"Rusdi has the feeling he’s being manipulated by Boeing," the financier said.
While Lion Air has a spotty record on safety, Kirana believes a factor in the crash was the errant software in Boeing’s flight-control system.
Boeing’s recent statement on the crash investigation laid the blame on pilot error and maintenance issues and not its flight-control system.
US pilots have complained they received no guidance or training on the new system rolled out on the MAX aircraft.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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