Boeing 737s stationed at Renton, Washington.
Leslie Josephs | CNBC
Recently, President Donald Trump voiced his dissatisfaction regarding the lengthy delay in receiving two Boeing 747s intended for the new Air Force One.
These aircraft are significantly behind schedule. Trump finalized the $4 billion contract for the planes during his first term, and it’s uncertain if they will be ready during his current term. Cost overruns have already exceeded $2 billion.
Elon Musk, an advisor to Trump, is collaborating with Boeing in an effort to expedite the delivery of the aircraft, as emphasized by the company’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg, during a Barclays industrials conference on Thursday.
“The president is quite displeased with the delivery timeline, and he has made that quite clear,” Ortberg commented. “Elon Musk is providing substantial assistance in navigating the requirements … to eliminate non-essential constraints, enabling us to progress swiftly and deliver the airplanes to the President.”
Ortberg described Musk, the head of SpaceX, which rivals Boeing’s defense and space division, as a “brilliant individual” who can quickly identify the distinction between technical requirements and factors that can be dispensed with.
While aboard one of the existing presidential 747s, Trump mentioned to reporters on Wednesday that he is exploring alternative options.
“We may purchase an aircraft or find one, or something along those lines,” he stated, as reported by Reuters. Trump inspected a 747 parked at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida over the weekend, as noted by the outlet.
First Lady Melania Trump chuckles while watching US President Donald Trump slice a cake that represents the new Air Force One design during the Commander-In-Chief inaugural ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025.
Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images
The White House has not promptly replied to a request for comments.
Boeing’s airline customers have a rich history of frustration due to lengthy delays in aircraft deliveries, particularly as the post-pandemic travel surge gained momentum. A nearly disastrous door-plug blowout in January 2024 further disrupted Boeing’s deliveries and led to changes in leadership.
Currently, some customers are expressing more optimism. Executives informed CNBC that it seems the manufacturer has made progress under Ortberg’s leadership since he took charge in August.
“Boeing is demonstrating a remarkable capacity for turnaround and is improving its reliability as a supplier,” said United Airlines CFO Mike Leskinen on Wednesday at the Barclays conference. “Our confidence in the timely delivery of our MAX aircraft has reached unprecedented levels during my time at United Airlines.”
Bob Jordan, CEO of Southwest Airlines, an all-Boeing 737 airline, remarked on a January 30 earnings call: “While there is still considerable work ahead, they appear to be on a positive trajectory, which leaves us feeling more hopeful.”
During the Barclays conference on Thursday, Boeing’s Ortberg stated that he does not foresee any supply chain issues that would hinder the company in ramping up production of its highly successful 737 Max planes to 38 units per month in the upcoming months.
