{"id":162920,"date":"2026-10-31T01:35:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T20:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=162920"},"modified":"2026-10-31T01:08:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T19:38:59","slug":"united-ceo-accuses-boeing-airbus-of-stalling-new-aircraft-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/31\/united-ceo-accuses-boeing-airbus-of-stalling-new-aircraft-development\/","title":{"rendered":"United CEO Accuses Boeing and Airbus of Stalling New Aircraft Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

CHICAGO (ORD)\u2014<\/strong> United Airlines (UA)<\/a> CEO Scott Kirby has accused Boeing and Airbus of lacking competitive pressure to invest in entirely new aircraft designs. He believes the two manufacturers have little incentive to develop new airframes because they dominate the global commercial aircraft market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirby has called for a third major aircraft manufacturer to challenge the duopoly and accelerate aircraft development. United Airlines has also invested in JetZero, a startup developing a blended-wing aircraft that could introduce a different approach to commercial aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"United
Photo: Scott Kirby LinkedIn Page<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

United CEO Criticizes Boeing and Airbus Over New Aircraft Development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Scott Kirby believes the global aircraft manufacturing industry lacks sufficient competition to encourage Boeing and Airbus to develop new aircraft. According to the United Airlines CEO, both manufacturers have avoided investing in clean-sheet aircraft designs despite growing airline demand for more efficient aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirby described the situation as an informal agreement between the two manufacturers rather than an officially established arrangement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think the fundamental problem is Boeing<\/a> and Airbus<\/a> have a global duopoly, and they have quietly, not officially agreed, but they have quietly agreed: ‘Neither one of us will invest in new airframes.'”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirby argued that the lack of a serious competitor has reduced the pressure on Boeing and Airbus to take major financial risks on entirely new aircraft programmes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also highlighted the industry’s failure to develop a suitable replacement for the Boeing 757. Kirby said he had spent more than two decades asking both manufacturers to develop an aircraft capable of filling the 757’s role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’ve been begging them both for 20-something years to build a 757 replacement\u2026 Begging them, and they just won’t do it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that the industry needs another manufacturer to challenge the existing market leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We need a third aircraft manufacturer, to be blunt.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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United CEO Scott Kirby joins @benthompson<\/a> and me to break down the airline business: justifying big capex, how they do route planning, what other CEOs screw up, the Starlink decision, why everyone misunderstands the credit card economics, and lots more. pic.twitter.com\/io2rtPldNI<\/a><\/p>— John Collison (@collision) October 27, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>