Oslo-based Norwegian Air is firing off serious charges against Seattle-based Boeing in its lawsuit against the US aircraft producer. The Norwegian airline is accusing Boeing of gross negligence and even swindle related to its acquisitions of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners and 737 Max jets.
Norwegian Air, which was a major customer of Boeing for many years, claims Boeing is behind contract violations worth more than USD 1 billion. Nagging technical problems with the new jets it had ordered from Boeing have forced Norwegian to cancel “thousands of flights,” according to legal documents obtained by newspaper Dagens Næringsliv (DN) and other media. The problems began long before the Corona crisis ended up grounding thousands more flights earlier this year.
“Instead of delivering what was promised,” Norwegian claims in its lawsuit filed in the US, Boeing delivered a “pattern” of alleged misrepresentations and omissions, gross negligence and shoddy production that, in the case of the 737 Max jets, also had “tragic” and fatal consequences.
Norwegian Air is demanding that Boeing must take its deficient aircraft back and compensate Norwegian for the “enormous economic” damage that it has caused.
The troubled Norwegian airline, which has just resumed flying within Scandinavia and Europe, had earlier reported that negotiations with Boeing had stalled. When it announced in June that it would sue the aircraft maker, it noted that the negotiations had not led to any agreement that contained “reasonable compensation” for Norwegian.
Norwegian’s problems with its new Boeing 787 Dreamliners began as soon as the airline launched its ambitious intercontinental service in 2013. The new long-haul jets had serious motor problems that forced them out of operation, spoiling travel for Norwegian’s passengers and soiling Norwegian’s reputation as a reliable airline.
Norwegian had also ordered a large fleet of Boeing’s 737Max jets, and has taken delivery of 18. They were all grounded as well, along with Boeing’s 737 Max jets worldwide, after fatal crashes.
Norwegian is also cancelling orders worth an estimated NOK 100 billion. (USD 10 billion). Boeing has declined comment on Norwegian Air’s charges, after stating last month that Norwegian had been a long-term customer, and that Boeing was “trying to find a way forward.”
NewsInEnglish.no/Nina Berglund
