Troubled airplane maker Boeing is facing a tough challenge in improving its reputation and regaining the trust of the aviation industry after years of missteps. However, it appears that the company’s new CEO Robert “Kelly” Ortberg has managed to win back at least some skeptics in its early days on the job.
In a recent LinkedIn post, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby wrote that he has “renewed confidence” in Boeing’s recovery after a meeting with Ortberg. United Airlines is Boeing’s biggest customer in the commercial flight sector and is currently waiting on the delivery of 484 planes.
“Earlier this week, I had lunch with Kelly Ortberg, newly appointed President, and CEO at Boeing, and was not only encouraged by what I heard, but I also came away with a renewed confidence that Boeing is on the right path and will recover faster than most expect,” Kirby wrote in the post.
Kirby also added that he believes Boeing will soon get back to “being one of the best and most important brands in the world” under Ortberg’s guidance.
Boeing recently faced a string of manufacturing and safety issues, including having its 737 Max 9 experience a door plug blowout during an Alaska Airlines flight. The incident forced the company to experience delays in production and left United Airlines and its other customers waiting for new planes a lot longer than expected.