Boeing CEO in India in his first overseas visit    

Boeing's new CEO Kelly Ortberg visits India to meet customers, government officials, and employees amid global delivery delays.

Boeing’s new President and CEO Kelly Ortberg is in India this week which is his first international visit since taking over in August.

On his agenda are business meetings with Boeing’s customers in the country, along with key government stakeholders as well as employees. Though the visit has been kept under wraps, it is learnt that visits to some of Boeing’s facilities in Hyderabad and Bengaluru are also on his itinerary. He is in India for nearly three days.

Beset with global delays in aircraft deliveries, Indian airlines are among Boeing’s top customers, which include Akasa Air with an order of 226 Boeing 737 MAXs, and Air India with 220 Boeing aircraft on order that include 190 MAXs.

On Tuesday, Mr. Ortberg met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with Dr. Brendan Nelson, President of Boeing Global and Salil Gupte, President of Boeing India.

“Grateful to @nsitharaman for a productive discussion with @Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg. Our partnership with India continues to grow, and Boeing is fully committed to advancing the #AatmanirbharBharat vision,” Mr Gupte posted on X.

Mr Ortberg took charge at a time the U.S. aerospace manufacturer was grappling with multiple crisis, including hightened regulatory oversight amidst concerns over quality control standards following the door-plug blowout aboard an Alaskan Air flight in January 2024. This has also led to a slowing down of aircraft production leaving customers scrambling for jets. There have also been challenges related to employees, including a two-month strike by Boeing’s machinists in September, job cuts as well as low employee morale.

In India, delays in the delivery of Boeing 737 MAX 8s have resulted in fleet expansion drastically slowing down at Akasa Air where only three Maxs were added in 2024 after a rate of a-plane-a-month in the previous two years. This has also led to hundreds of excess pilots at the airline. At Air India Express too, the airline has been forced to borrow A320s from Air India after adding 35 MAXs.