Never in the last ten years has the European planemaker faced so much uncertainly at the top. The last time such a crisis took place was the A380 crisis of 2006. As it was then, Airbus tackled the problem with a substantial overhaul of its senior management.
Old-timers at Europe’s premier planemaker Airbus must be remembering the musical chairs that occurred in 2006 following the A380 crisis. There were delays in the production of the Super Jumbo leading to a €2bn hit on earnings over the next three years. And heads were rolling in quick succession.
Fast forward to the end of 2017. Fresh from the victorious tie-up with Bombardier, Airbus CEO Tom Enders faced what, according to Aviation Week and Space Technology, “could prove to be the death blow for Airbus’ poorly selling A380 wide body jet”. On December 14, came the explosive shot: Enders announced that he would step down in April 2019, even though he would be only 60 years old. Was the resignation linked to Airbus’ entanglement in a corruption scandal about the alleged illegal use of middlemen in commercial aircraft sales campaigns?
Whatever the reasons for Enders stepping down, a power struggle ensued resulting in a transformative leadership change: the final result of reverberations at Airbus over the alleged bribery scandal. Of course, some collateral damage did also take place.
The key question that was on everyone’s lips was: After Enders, who? The answer came in the appointment of French engineer Guillaume Faury. Airbus Board Chairman Denis Ranque praised Faury’s “global outlook, extensive operational experience, strong personal values and straightforward leadership style” in a statement. Apparently, company CEO Tom Enders, his energy sapping at the ongoing investigating and with few on the Board backing him, had towards the end of 2017 wanted that the leadership decisions scheduled for 2018 be moved forward to be announced straightaway. He was tired of the speculation and the internecine battle and wanted an end to it.
This story is from the November 2018 edition of Cruising Heights.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2018 edition of Cruising Heights.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
JettWings leads the way in UDAN 5.3
JettWings Airways has emerged as a frontrunner in the aviation industry, solidifying its position as a leading private operator under the UDAN RCS 5.3 scheme.
PLETHORA OF AIR TRAVEL ACTIVITY IN THE INDIAN SKIES
The Northern Summer schedule for 2024 took off on March 31, 2024, ushering in a rush of air travel activity. With DGCA's seal of approval on 24,275 weekly departures, the skies buzzed with an average of 3,467 flights daily. However, on the inaugural day, airlines only managed to execute 3,035 scheduled domestic flights, representing a modest 87.5 per cent of the approved schedule. Delving into the nuances of this aviation landscape, an exclusive analysis by aviation analytics company Cirium unveils fascinating insights into the longest and shortest flights crisscrossing the Indian skies.
Pushpak RLV-TD successfully lands autonomously
ISRO achieved another significant milestone in reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology with the successful landing of Pushpak (RLV-TD), the winged vehicle, autonomously on the runway.
"PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES: A TROUBLED LEGACY IN NEED OF REVIVAL"
Pakistan International Airlines PIA), once renowned for its slogan Great People to Fly With,’ has a storied history of contributions to the aviation industry. despite its illustrious past, PIA has faced challenges in recent decades, witnessing a decline from its former glory. This downward trajectory has prompted concerns about the airline's sustainability and competitiveness in the modern aviation landscape. The Pakistan government is now preparing to privatise the
Qatar explores major widebody order with Boeing, Airbus
Qatar Airways is reportedly in preliminary discussions with both Boeing and Airbus regarding a potential order of up to 150 widebody jets to modernise and expand its fleet as it needs to tackle the issue of an ageing fleet for long-distance.
"Embraer achieves ETOPS-120 certification for E2 Series
Embraer recently achieved a significant milestone with the acquisition of 120-minute ETOPS (Extended-Twin Engine Operations Performance Standards) approval for its E190-E2 and E195-E2 aircraft.
FLY91 set to soar
Regional carrier FLY91 launched its commercial operations in mid-March, aiming to establish a strong presence in the aviation sector. India’s youngest airline plans to break even within two years, the Goa-based airline anticipates employing approximately 350 staff members by the end of its inaugural year.
BA AT 50: REFLECTING ON THE CONCORDE AGE AND BEYOND
As British Airways celebrates its 50th anniversary, industry watchers and experts are saying that this prompts reflection on the evolution of flying with the airline and raises questions about whether the Concorde era truly represented aviation's golden age.
New Terminal for Dehradun
The newly constructed terminal building at Dehradun Airport was officially inaugurated on February 14, representing a significant step forward in enhancing infrastructure and connectivity in the northern state.
Mission Gaganyaan: ISRO gets back to work
The Indian human spaceflight programme has the potential to create an all-new aerospace ecosystem for setting up associated industries, boosting thousands of MSMEs in the sector and creating at least 15,000 jobs for Indian youth related to the domain. An in-depth report