Boeing 747-8 Hits ‘Horrendous’ Setback

[Phil Bunch]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2011-09-17/boeing-747-8-hits-horrendous-setback-as-buyer-delays-delivery.html

Vague news story but bad for Boeing...

[Phil Bunch]

Atlas cancels some of its initial 747-8 orders, too:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2011-09-21/boeing-loses-atlas-order-for-three-747-8-freighters-on-performance-delays.html

I don't know how to interpret the Atlas news story - I have the impression that aircraft orders come and go as a routine part of the very lengthy sales process that goes on.  The story described Atlas wanting to obtain a slightly more updated production batch, as best I could follow the story.

I was more surprised at the last minute launch customer cancellation by Cargolux, but even there, the background was that Cargolux had recently been reorganized and its new management seemed to have taken the action at its own initiative.

With the cancellation of an A380 freighter program, I wonder if the 747-8 now has an even more promising future?  Airliner orders are much too complex and political for me to make a personal interpretation of sales news.

[farrokh747]

http://leehamnews.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/whats-behind-the-cargolux-rejection-of-the-747-8f-delivery/

more than just performance issues...?