Originally Posted by
CBreezy
You mean like Boeing selling the 737 to United at a 73% discount so they wouldn't order the C-series?
Boeing gave United a massive discount - Business Insider
Or what about Boeing selling heavily EXIM bank subsidized wide-bodies to countries to compete against US airlines.
And there is the fact that the $200M 787 is being sold at a 50% discount in order to justify the line even being open.
Saying the the Bombardier deal is embarrassing is completely ignoring the fact that Boeing is doing far worse to get rid of a technologically advanced aircraft in a market they aren't even competing in. But hey, they'll sell you used E-190s or a 1950s era -700 at a steep discount.
Meh. It's not like US airlines are ordering Boeing widebodies by the dozens. Besides, United is a long term customer and they've delivered many Boeing products to them: 727, 737, 75/767, 757, and 787. So it's understandable if they gave a good deal on the 737. That's quite a bit different than one struggling aircraft manufacturer (lets face it, they are) who was looking to underball pricing just to launch their new airplane be securing a large order.
I had a long SEA overnight so I took a Boeing Everett factory tour. Every single 777 I saw being built there was destined to foreign airlines. When was the last time a US airline ordered a 777? And how many? Can you really blame Boeing for wanting to find business overseas? It's their job to sell the planes. And if US airlines won't order them in droves, then Boeing will find airlines that will. Bombardier is just mimicking Boeing, Canadian based company that has the C-Series being pumped out in Northern Ireland with parts built all over the place. But the difference is unlike Boeing, Bombardier couldn't find anyone to buy their planes. So they took a pretty aggressive step and low-balled the planes to Delta for a massive order that would ensure a launch success of the airplane.