JOIN USUS aircraft manufacturer Boeing on Friday said SpiceJet’s $4.4 billion order for 42 Boeing 737 Max planes stands even as it expressed hope that “short-term turbulence” in the market ends soon. Pratyush Kumar, Boeing India president, said that the company wants to see its customers healthy.
“We want to be responsive to our customer's requirements. All I am saying is that there is no change in status,” he said, when asked about the status of the order placed by SpiceJet.
He said loss-making airlines are a concern and Boeing intends to help them by delivering fuel-efficient and reliable aircraft. He said Boeing is not worried about the turbulence in the Indian aviation sector. “Projections are very positive. We are hoping that the short-term turbulence settles down,” he said.
Asked about the delay in finalising the deal for 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy lift choppers, Kumar hinted this could lead to price escalation if the contract is not finalised soon.
“There is a point till which our ability to hold price is limited. We are inching closer and closer to that point,” he said. It would be in “everyone's interest to have a decision”, he said adding the original Request for Proposal (RFP) had a very short validity.
“They (Defence Ministry) kept asking for extensions and we did provide them as and when appropriate,” he said.