Airbus, Boeing Disagree on New Airliner
Airbus Industrie and Boeing Co. entered a public relations tiff Wednesday over disclosures that Boeing is conducting independent talks with a key member of the Airbus consortium to study production of a super-jumbo airliner.
Airbus Managing Director Jean Pierson sharply disputed a Boeing announcement Tuesday that the U.S. firm may soon agree to conduct a feasibility study for a 550- to 800-seat jumbo aircraft with Deutsche Aerospace, a partner in the four-nation European consortium.
Pierson said the Airbus board had authorized the talks between Deutsche Aerospace and Boeing and had designated Deutsche Aerospace executive Juergen Schremp and Pierson himself to talk to Boeing.
Pierson said his supervisory board had a draft accord calling for all four Airbus partners to work on the feasibility study.
Rather than any split within Airbus ranks, the talks signify that Boeing and Airbus were planning a collaboration.
“This is not the end of the Airbus system. There has been no betrayal by an Airbus member,” Pierson told a news conference.
But Boeing Vice President Larry Clarkson said the Seattle-based aerospace company stands behind its previous story, that Airbus will have no role in the program and that the talks are only with Deutsche Aerospace. Clarkson said the German firm was acting on its “own behalf.”
Clarkson also disclosed that an agreement may include McDonnell Douglas, as well as British, French and Japanese firms.
Clarkson said a super-jumbo jet project would require a new organization, much like that of Airbus, whose members also include Aerospatiale of France, British Aerospace and Spain’s Construcciones Aeronauticas.
Clarkson said McDonnell Douglas’ participation is less certain, because the company is continuing to weigh its options whether to launch the MD-12 jumbo jet.
If McDonnell does so, then it may lack the resources to also participate in the super-jumbo project.
Clarkson said a draft accord has been sent to Deutsche Aerospace.
Asked why Boeing executive John Hayhurst made no reference to Airbus when announcing the Deutsche Aerospace talks, Pierson said: “Either he does not remember me, which is impolite, or he has a short memory, which means he should not be project manager. Or he’s having second thoughts.
“I think it’s the third,” he added.
Securities analysts Wednesday said the apparent dispute does not seem meaningful in the near term.
