Scott Carson's style is definitely less flamboyant than that of John Leahy, his counterpart at Airbus, but Boeing's Commercial Airplanes chief salesman is proving just as effective in delivering a vigorous sales performance.
Since arriving from Connexion to revive Boeing's flagging fortunes in December, Carson has revamped the company's sales structure, overseen a cut in aircraft prices and beaten Airbus on several key campaigns.
When he took over, he gave Boeing president Alan Mulally a simple promise: "I made a commitment to my boss that we will do no silly deals."
When asked if his European rival has beaten Boeing to any recent contracts by offering silly prices Carson answers "yes, absolutely - Iberia".
He was referring to the Spanish flag carrier's order for up to 79 Airbus A320 family aircraft in February.
Carson also refutes the Airbus salesman's recent assertion that 747 production would stop in 2006: "John Leahy was definitely wrong when he said that."
Although Boeing has not yet signed any new 747-400 deals, the orderbook could grow by as much as several dozen aircraft, he says. Orders of this scale will enable Boeing to bridge the gap in jumbo production until the time when the 747 Advanced comes into service in 2008-9.
Later this summer Boeing expects to formally launch the 737-900X after contracts are finalised with the launch customers, Indonesia's Lion Air and India's SpiceJet, says Carson.
Source: Flight Daily News
