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Boeing President: 2016, Second Safest Year in Aviation History | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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The Boeing logo is seen on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplane in Long Beach, California. (Reuters)


Riyadh – Boeing President Marc Allen underscored the shared confidence between Boeing and Saudi Arabia, noting that the kingdom has the latest defense techniques in the aviation field.

According to Allen, the toughest challenge in this field is the continuous development of techniques, in addition to the enormous amount of data. He noted that the companies that will be successful after 40 years are the ones that will manage to deal with this data and benefit from it in development and innovation.

He also expected space industry to be the upcoming field of competition, revealing that huge attention is paid to this industry. To Asharq Al-Awsat, he said: “We see that during the coming 25 years the chances of space commerce will be close to reality.”

“What about your cooperation with Saudi Arabia and Boeing vision in achieving Saudi Vision 2030?” asked the newspaper.

The Boeing president replied: “Innovation in products, services and operations is a backbone of Boeing and throughout the past decades Boeing has made a radical change in the field of commerce travel in Saudi Arabia. As for Saudi Vision 2030, we have huge opportunities and we are cooperating with the kingdom through several initiatives that will provide job opportunities and contribute in transforming the existing techniques and the space industry infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.”

The newspaper asked: “With the increase of aviation accidents, do you think that this has an influence on the use of airplanes as a means of safe transportation?”

He answered: “It would be beneficial to mention that 2016 was the second safest year in the history of aviation, regardless that airplanes are the safest way for travel. We, in Boeing, place safety as a priority.”

“How did the companies deal with the drop in oil prices and its influence on cancelling some deals by the buyers?” asked Asharq Al-Awsat.

“The drop in oil prices has existed for two years and its influence varies between the negative and positive. The situation is currently stable and in case of any rise in prices then the companies tend to purchase airplanes that consume less fuel. Also, the mounting demand on airplanes depends on the increase of travelers and this helps in covering the cost of operational expenses,” Allen answered.

When asked about the outcome of the Boeing program to support the Arab youth in the Middle East, he replied: “I mentioned in the beginning that Boeing in Saudi Arabia is committed to achieving the Saudi national goals through providing jobs for Saudi youths and we are determined to continue along this path.”

The newspaper asked: “Marc, you are in your forties and you are the president of Boeing. This represents an inspiration to the youth. What can you tell them about your story?”

Allen said: “What I can say to any ambitious youth is that he should know his goals in life. He should have a specific goal and, most importantly, he should be comfortable in the way he will achieve it. You should be yourself and avoid imitating others. This is the first step in being a leader.”