Donald Trump has expressed his displeasure with Boeing over the delays in delivering the new Air Force One planes. The delivery of the two Boeing 747 aircraft has been delayed by several years and it is uncertain whether they will be ready during his current term. The total cost overrun has surpassed $2 billion. Trump had negotiated the $4 billion deal for these planes during his first term.

Elon Musk the CEO of SpaceX who also collaborates with Boeing is reportedly working with the manufacturer to speed up the process. Boeing’s CEO Kelly emphasized that Musk is helping by addressing non essential issues to help meet the President’s needs faster. He mentioned that Musk is particularly skilled at distinguishing between what is technically required and what can be expedited.

Trump while on board one of the current presidential 747s hinted that he is considering alternative options such as purchasing a plane or exploring other possibilities. The President recently toured a 747 at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida.

Meanwhile Boeing has been facing frustrations from its airline customers due to significant delays in aircraft deliveries especially as the travel demand surged post pandemic. Additionally a major technical failure in January 2024 further delayed the deliveries and led to a leadership change at Boeing.

However some airline customers have started to see improvements. Executives have expressed optimism noting Boeing’s efforts to improve reliability. United Airlines CFO Mike expressed greater confidence that their MAX aircraft will be delivered on schedule highlighting a turnaround in Boeing’s performance. Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan also mentioned that Boeing appears to be on the right track and is more optimistic about the company’s future.

Boeing’s CEO also noted at the Barclays conference that they do not foresee any supply chain problems that could hinder the ramp-up of production of the popular 737 Max planes with plans to increase the production rate to 38 per month soon.