To Kill a Better Bird

Subscription Required Introduction Oct. 12, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Boeing’s brash and controversial move to file the trade complaint with the US Department of Commerce is a bold gamble designed to kill the Bombardier CSeries entirely, not just… Read More

Pontifications: Boeing-Bombardier dispute’s big winner: Airbus

June 12, 2017, (c) Leeham Co.: Boeing won round one Friday in its price-dumping complaint against Bombardier over its sale of the CSeries to Delta Air Lines. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) voted 5-0 to continue the… Read More

Pontifications: Branson gets pissy over dropping the Virgin America name

April 3, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Sir Richard Branson came to Seattle last week to promote the new service by Virgin Atlantic Airlines to London. In a hissy-fit, he promptly pissed on Alaska Airlines for the business decision… Read More

If Boeing builds MAX 10, will customers come?

Subscription Required Introduction March 7, 2017, © Leeham Co.: If Boeing builds the 737-10, which appears increasingly likely, will customers come? This is always the multi-billion-dollar question for any aircraft and engine manufacturer. For Boeing, launching the 737-10… Read More

Pontifications: Boeing 737-9 roll-out–Nothing Special in the Air

March 6, 2017, © Leeham Co.: Boeing rolls out its 737-9 MAX tomorrow. Last week, I received a call from one of the network/cable news organizations asking, What’s special about this airplane? The answer is: Nothing.

Pontifications: Alaska’s A321neo test drive

Feb. 13, 2017, © Leeham Co.: It was subtle, but it was there: Alaska Airlines will take the Airbus A321neo for a test drive. This will happen via its new sibling, Virgin America, which has 10 A321neos on… Read More

ATR targets Bombardier’s last stronghold: the USA

May 17, 2016, © Leeham Co.: ATR, the dominant manufacturer of turboprop airliners, last week undertook its first major marketing push in the USA in 10 years. The US has been the exclusive domain for passenger turboprop service… Read More

Alaska, Virgin confirm merger

April 4, 2016, (c) Leeham Co.: Alaska Air Group and Virgin America confirmed weekend reports that they reached a deal to merge. The replay of the Alaska webcast/conference call, with slide show, is here. Rationale includes what LNC outlined… Read More

Virgin America does have some attractive attributes

March 29, 2016, © Leeham Co.: A report that JetBlue and Alaska Airlines submitted bids to buy Virgin America spurs the thought: this isn’t as wacky as it appears on the surface. When news emerged last week that… Read More

Pontifications: Bad week for aerospace stocks

Feb. 1, 2016, © Leeham Co. Ouch. Boeing stock tanked about 10% last Wednesday when the company surprised analysts with unexpected news and below expectations 2016 guidance. Bombardier became a penny stock. What the heck happened?