Emirates boss hits out at Boeing top brass

DUBAI: The head of one of Boeing Co’s biggest customers, Dubai’s Emirates, wants the plane maker to demonstrate fundamental changes after producing a flawed 737 MAX jet and has urged it to recognise ‘‘culpability and accountability’’ from the very top.

Influential Emirates president Tim Clark said a crisis over crashes of its 737 MAX had damaged the air travel industry as a whole, but he was confident the redesigned jet was safe.

‘‘Boeing need to take a good hard look at themselves; I’m sure they have,’’ Mr Clark said.

‘‘But they have to [show] evidence to people like the airline community, the travelling public, that they have made the changes that are required of them in a transparent manner,’’ he said, while also suggesting a shift of emphasis on financial matters.

‘‘That [can] only be done at board level and executed . . . at senior level,’’ Mr Clark said.

‘‘I believe they still have work to do in Boeing to get themselves sorted out . . . There is a topdown culpability and accountability and they need to recognise that.’’

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The comments from the head of one of the world’s biggest carriers, with Boeing jets worth more than $US50 billion ($NZ69 billion) at list prices on order, are among the most direct airline criticisms since a 20month ban on MAX flights was lifted in December.

Last week, Boeing agreed to pay $US2.5 billion in a deal with federal prosecutors over a fraud conspiracy charge over the MAX’s flawed development.

Mr Clark’s critique, aimed at the highest echelons of the world’s largest aerospace company, stood in contrast to the settlement’s focus on two lowerlevel Boeing employees who prosecutors say deceived US regulators.

The jet, a staple of shorthaul travel across the world, was grounded in March 2019 after crashes linked to flawed software.

Since the crashes, Boeing has fired its former chief executive, added a board safety committee and agreed to strengthen internal controls. Boeing, however, turned for its new CEO to an insider, Dave Calhoun, a longserving board member.

It says it has learned ‘‘many hard lessons’’ from the crisis. — Reuters