Threat to freighters as parts shortages hobble airlines, manufacturers and MRO
Buoyed by strong passenger demand, airlines have ramped up their schedules aggressively for the summer ...
© Khunaspix Dreamstime.
By Alex Lennane
Airlines will be relieved – the US Ex-Im bank is back. After five months of political rowing over the issue, on Friday the bank was reauthorised – albeit it with a reduced lending limit of $135bn, down from $140bn. It was also told that 25% of its operations should be focused on helping small businesses, up from 20%. Used by airlines to help finance aircraft purchases, its closure had seen several companies warn Boeing that without the funding they would have no alternative but to buy Airbus aircraft, on which export credit agency financing is available.
Comment on this article