The head of United Airlines accused Airbus and Boeing of collusion.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby believes that Airbus and Boeing have effectively "quietly, unofficially, agreed" not to develop fundamentally new aircraft models. According to him, the airlines have not been able to get a successor to the Boeing 757 for more than 20 years. The statement was made on the Pint podcast (link over time).
"They tacitly agreed that none of the companies would invest in the development of completely new models. So they set the pace for technological progress," Kirby said on the podcast.
According to him, the investors in both manufacturers do not want large expenses, and the airlines have no alternatives.
"I have been begging Airbus and Boeing for more than 20 years to build a successor to the Boeing 757. But they just won't do it," he said. "Let me be clear: we need a third aircraft manufacturer."
In response to Kirby, critics reminded United's chief that Airbus still offered a replacement for the 757, though not a new plane: United itself ordered 50 A321XLRs in 2019, which Kirby calls a direct replacement. Boeing ended production of the 757 in 2004, but shelved the mid-range jet project. According to the latest data, the American aircraft manufacturer may begin formulating a plan for a new passenger plane in the coming years, and the official launch of the project is expected around 2030. Whether it will be the long-awaited successor to the 757 codenamed New Midsize Aircraft (NMA) is still unknown.
United itself is trying to support a replacement key. In April 2025, the airline invested in the American startup JetZero, which creates a 250-seat aircraft with an integral wing and fuselage layout. The agreement provides an option to purchase up to 100 aircraft with an option for 100 more. The full-size JetZero prototype is scheduled to take off in 2027, but the project will need to be certified before it can begin carrying passengers.
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