XI hits Boeing: China orders not to collect the new planes (and also stops the US spare parts)

China increases the intensity of the commercial war with the United States and orders the national airlines of Do not accept further deliveries of planes made by Boeing, the US aerospace giant. While in Europe the CEO of Ryanair, the main low cost, warns that if the ordered aircraft – always from Boeing – should become more expensive because of the duties at that point could withdraw the 737 max further over time. Negative double news for Boeing who for some time has been trying to recover after the difficult years between accidents, slowed development projects and the overwhelming competition of the European Airbus.

The Order of Beijing

According to the agency Bloombergwho heard informed sources on the matter, Beijing has communicated to the Chinese carriers – starting from Air China, China Eastern and China Southern – to suspend the withdrawal of the Boeing ordered, but also to no longer make any purchase of equipment and spare parts for planes from US companies. All this in the context of the commercial war in progress with the United States: President Donald Trump has imposed duties up to 145% on Chinese goods. And the Asian giant responded with duties of 125% on American goods.

Dozens of firm planes

The fate of the planes ready for delivery is not yet clearwith the documents already signed and with the payments made. It is likely that these, given the completion of the bureaucratic procedures before the entry into force of the duties on the US products, could however be authorized to sail the Chinese skies. But dozens of other Boeing aircraft still remain in the parking lots of the assembly centers. The Chinese government – he continues Bloomberg – It would be evaluating ways to provide assistance to airlines that rent Boeing planes and that are faced with higher costs.

The perplexities of experts

The experts contacted by Courier However, they warn that if the new Jet Boeing deliveries would take an impact on the expansion of Chinese carriers, The order to block the arrival of spare parts of the aircraft could prove to be problematic and put the state of air safety in China under stress. « If the arrival of a plane part of an action for some time has been planned, nobody knows when one might need a certain component after a minor accident or a breakdown, » explains one of them.

The weight of the Chinese market

Losing the Chinese market, even if temporarily, could complicate the Boeing lift. According to estimates, only China will represent 20% of the global demand for aircraft in the next twenty years. With rapidly expanding Airbus and the appearance-on national and intra-Asian connections-of the Comac C919 (the Chinese manufacture aircraft that challenges the A320 and the B737), the American giant risks definitively losing that band of customers.

Ryanair’s position

In Europe, speaking with the Financial Timesthe CEO of Ryanair Michael O’Leary, he warns that it could delay the delivery of Boeing planes if they become more expensive because of the duties. Thus the risk of a clash – also legal – between producers and companies on those who will have to bear the costs deriving from the commercial war is announced. O’Leary, known to obtain substantial discounts from Boeing, even 65-70% on list pricesadds to what has been said in recent days from E and Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines and Bastian: « We have no intention of paying the duties on the new Airbus planes – he said – and we will postpone the deliveries of the planes on which further aggravations of costs weigh ».