Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) pointed out that Boeing’s (BA) aircraft delivery performance has improved, while confidence in Airbus (EADSY) is declining, according to a Reuters report.
“I think we are seeing a shift where it’s generally recognised that Boeing’s performance has significantly improved. People have a lot more confidence in Boeing delivering the commitments that they have made, and we’re seeing people having less confidence in Airbus,” the trade group’s director general, Walsh, commented.
“It’s disappointing for the industry, because we will have fewer new aircraft being delivered than was expected,” he added.
IATA said on Tuesday the airline sector would post record profits next year despite ongoing supply chain issues, with total industry revenues expected to reach $1.053 trillion in 2026 (up 4.5% on the $1.008 trillion expected revenues in 2025).
“Airlines are expected to generate a 3.9% net margin and a $41 billion profit in 2026. That’s extremely welcome news considering the headwinds that the industry faces—rising costs from bottlenecks in the aerospace supply chain, geopolitical conflict, sluggish global trade, and growing regulatory burdens among them. Airlines have successfully built shock-absorbing resilience into their businesses that is delivering stable profitability,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.