Boeing has opted out of presenting any commercial planes at the Singapore Airshow, diverting attention to rival Airbus and China’s domestic aircraft offering.
This decision follows a decline in aircraft orders and deliveries for Boeing January, following an incident involving a midflight fuselage panel blowout on one of its 737 Max 9s earlier this year.
While Airbus and China’s Comac C919 will display commercial liners during aerial demonstrations, Boeing will not showcase any commercial aircraft at the airshow.
However, Boeing will still exhibit its defense capabilities, featuring several fighter jets, including the B-52 Stratofortress in the U.S. Air Force aerial display.
Despite the absence of commercial jets, Boeing plans to present a cabin display of its wide-body 777X passenger plane, acclaimed as the world’s largest twin-engine jet. However, delays have plagued deliveries of this aircraft, expected in 2025.
The Singapore Airshow, scheduled from Feb. 20 to 25, typically attracts tens of thousands, including military delegations and aviation enthusiasts. Notable participants this year include Lockheed Martin, Dassault, SAAB, Leonardo, and Thales.
This marks the first major international aerospace event since the recent incident, which prompted Boeing to face another safety crisis, leading to the temporary grounding of over 170 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes by U.S. safety regulators.
Meanwhile, Airbus will showcase its large widebody A350-1000 model and display static exhibits of helicopters, military aircraft, and the A330neo commercial jet.
China’s entry into the spotlight will be marked by the C919 narrow-body commercial aircraft, developed by Comac. While currently certified only by Chinese authorities, industry experts suggest it could emerge as a competitor to Boeing and Airbus in the commercial aviation sector.
Despite challenges such as the Max crisis and supply chain disruptions, analysts anticipate a short-term impact on Boeing, with expectations of higher deliveries in 2024 compared to the previous year.
