Originally Posted by
Speed of Sound
The problem with an international business like aviation is that you can’t make people buy your aircraft, especially if there are safety concerns. Even if the idiot Trump threatens to economically punish any country which doesn’t buy from Boeing, I doubt that many would, when their citizen’s lives are at risk.
The idiot Trump won't be around forever and, in any event, you are quite right that his threats wouldn't work to convince purchasers. Whatever happens, Boeing's commercial aircraft business depends upon the world believing that, going forward, its products are safe. I think that's an achievable goal, although it's going to require a significant change in corporate culture.
The only way the US government and financial sectors would be able to stop Boeing from going under after another crash, would be to so heavily subsidise its products, that airlines have no choice but to buy them. Boeing would then be effectively a state-aided nationalised company in all but name.
If that's what's necessary to keep Boeing going, I expect that's exactly what will happen. BA is the largest single US exporter and a key symbol of American industrial strength. If US carriers were forced to buy (mostly) only Airbus planes, trade deficits would be significantly worsened. And the defense side of the business is a key supplier to US and foreign armed forces. Even more than the auto manufacturers, that have been bailed out more than once, Boeing is too big too fail.