Branson blasts Boeing
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Richard Branson, the British entrepreneur and founder of the Virgin Group, has slammed Boeing for the machinist strikes that closed its US manufacturing plants for over two months last year, according to a Bloomberg report.
The strike’s impact on Virgin’s airlines “was absolutely, utterly ghastly”, Branson told reporters at Boeing’s Seattle home, where he was overseeing the delivery of V Australia’s a new 777-300ER. He added that if Boeing does not resolve its labour disputes, it could start to lose orders.
“We’re already thinking, ‘Would we have a risk placing another order with Boeing?’ It’s that serious,” Branson was reported saying.
V Australia had planned to take delivery of the 777 before Christmas, using it to launch trans-Pacific services between Australia and the US. The strikes however, meant that the launch had to be delayed. The dispute also disrupted expansion plans at Virgin Atlantic Airways and Virgin Blue, according to Branson.
“If people in Seattle build aeroplanes and deliver them on time, and to be perfectly frank, don’t go on strike, we’ll continue to work with Boeing,” Bloomberg quoted Branson saying, adding that orders may otherwise go to rivals Airbus.
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