Will Boeing\'s Problems Benefit Its European Rival

LONDON â€" Boeing faced the latest setback for its new 787 Dreamliner on Wednesday and industry-watchers are speculating whether the aircraft’s recent troubles could provide a boost for Airbus, the U.S. company’s European archrival.

The plane, which entered commercial service in 2011, has suffered a string of recent mishaps and Japan’s two largest airlines have now grounded their 787 fleets after one operated by All Nippon Airways made an emergency landing in western Japan.

The news from Tokyo came on the eve of Airbus’s annual news conference in Toulouse on Thursday at which the European company was expected to confirm that it sold less aircraft than Boeing in 2012, the first year in which it trailed its U.S. rival in a decade.

Airbus is developig the A350 to compete with the Dreamliner

Mark Leftly and Nikhil Kumar, writing in Britain’s The Independent, described the competition between the two industry giants as “almost playground-like at times.”

They wrote at the weekend that John Leahy, Airbus’s top salesman, “no doubt sees some sales opportunities in the reputational hit that Boeing is taking over the operational problems with the 787 Dreamliner.”

Boeing has expressed confidence that its aircraft is safe and safety experts believe the U.S. company may be facing the kind of teething problems that are common to new models.

However, as Hiroko Tabuchi reports from Tokyo, analysts say the issue could become a growing embarrassment for Boeing if travelers or airlines begin to lose confidence in the plane.

Andrew Parker of The Financial Times wrote before the latest setback in Japan that mishaps with the Dreamliner had marred an otherwise positive start to the year for Boeing.

He quoted Jason Gursky, an analyst at Citi, as saying: “These issues have eroded market confidence in the 787 and have generated concerns around customer/consumer aversion to a troubled plane.”

Some commentators on social media concluded that what was bad for Boeing must be good for Airbus.

Darren Byrne in Ireland posted on Twitter:

One London flight attendant told her Twitter followers: “If it’s Boeing, I ain’t going. Give me our Airbus any day.”

Joseph Alexandre, a self-described aeronautical addict, cautioned against rushing to judment:

Boeing’s troubles coincided with reports that Airbus is narrowing the gap with Boeing after announcing a flurry of sales at the end of 2012, as both companies face growing competition from manufacturers in China, Russia and Brazil.

Commenting on the “fierce battle for first place,” Le Parisien newspaper wrote that the European company might be regaining the edge over its rival.

While Airbus was announcing big new orders, Boeing had suffered a string of technical problems “that are beginning to seriously hit its brand image.”

One reader of Le Parisien commented: “Don’t rejoice in the misfortune of others. It can come back to you.”