Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Ray Conner has spoken in support of the long-term reauthorization of the US Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im). Speaking at the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation 14th Annual Aviation Summit in Washington DC, Conner said that eliminating Ex-Im financing for commercial aircraft would have a seriously negative impact on Boeing and the US economy.
“If Ex-Im is not available, that’s just going to provide a distinct advantage [to companies such as Airbus, Embraer and Bombardier] when an airline does need a loan guarantee,” he said.
If Ex-Im is not reauthorized, many airlines “are not going to go to the US” to buy aircraft, Conner said. “They’ll go somewhere else to get their airplane.”
Connor added “[Ex-Im financing] is a good thing for the US economy and we should all support it. It’s low risk and, the last time I looked, it made money for the US treasury.”