Boeing 777x faces further delivery delays
The Boeing 777x is Boeing’s newest version of its iconic 777 aircraft. There have already been numerous issues with testing and production, including a door blowing off during testing and engine issues. The first test flight was originally planned for mid-2019, and was delayed until early 2020. With the pandemic, it has now been delayed even further, and Boeing have now issued a statement saying they are expecting the first deliveries to take place in 2022.
Many are expecting the travel industry to take significant time to recover – a recent statement from IATA predicts it will likely be 2024 before the industry is operating back at pre-pandemic standards.
This will, most likely, result in less travellers on flights, reducing the need for the larger capacity aircraft such as the Airbus A380’. The Boeing 777x may well be the largest aircraft being produced for several years, due to the significant decrease in demand.
With many airlines in trouble due to the pandemic, grounding aircraft and laying off staff, the acquisition of new aircraft has completely ground to a halt (no pun intended). Although Boeing have faced issues previously with manufacturing and testing the aircraft, the main issue facing the company now is a lack or retraction of interest from clients.
A number of airlines have placed advance orders for the aircraft, including:
- Singapore Airlines, who are expected to debut a new First Class cabin on the 777x
- Emirates, who are also expected to debut a new First Class on the 777x
- Cathay Pacific, planning to debut both a new Business and First Class on the aircraft
- Lufthansa, planning to debut their new, award-winning Business Class
Many of these new cabins were set to appear on aircraft as soon as 2020 (that definitely won’t be happening), but have since been pushed to late 2021 and into 2022. Some airlines have even been rumoured to be in discussion with Boeing to reduce their original order amount, or cancel altogether.
Only time will tell how the pandemic will affect the future of travel companies. Will we see Boeing 777x’s flying in 2022, or earlier? Let us know in the comments.
IATA predict travel levels won’t return until 2024
As mentioned above, IATA (the International Air Transport Association) have recently issued an updated global passenger forecast based on June 2020 passenger traffic. The statement predicts global passenger traffic will not recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2024, a year later than previously predicted.
With continued lockdowns and border closures across the globe, containment of the virus has been slower than expected, significantly affecting long-haul travel in particular. IATA have signified that they expect a much quicker recovery for short-haul than long haul. Other factors contributing to this trend include a significant drop in corporate travel, and more significantly, weak consumer confidence, with many travellers preferring to stay closer to home for the time being and into the near future.
Across the board, traffic is down 86.5% from this time last year, which is a slight uptick from May’s 91%. However, most of that recover is from domestic markets, especially in China.
Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO, has said that ‘consumer confidence is depressed and not helped by the UK’s weekend decision to impose a blanket quarantine on all travellers returning from Spain. And in many parts of the world infections are still rising’.
He also reiterated that government support and relief measures for airlines and the wider travel industry is essential, as ‘international traffic, which in normal times accounts for close to two-thirds of global air travel, remains virtually non-existent’.
However, significant changes in the global response to Covid-19, such as development of a successful vaccine, could allow a significantly faster recovery. IATA have also expressed that they see potential for significantly better testing measures and contract tracing to play a part in managing the virus and restoring consumer confidence, which would help give tourism the re-start it needs.
What do you think, do we need a vaccine or cure for Corona before we can travel again? Or are we facing years of recovery for the industry? Let us know below!
