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By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Boeing on Thursday named Jeff Shockey as its new top lobbyist, as the U.S. planemaker faces a number of issues in Washington including criticism from President Donald Trump over delayed deliveries of new Air Force One jets.
Shockey returns to Boeing after the firm's last head of government affairs left abruptly in December. He previously headed global government relations at aerospace and defense firm RTX , formerly known as Raytheon, and before that was vice president of global sales and marketing for Boeing Defense, Space & Security as well as a senior Boeing lobbyist and former U.S. House aide.
Boeing is dealing with the risk of potential new tariffs impacting airplane production and exports as well as scrutiny over its quality and manufacturing after a 2024 mid-air emergency involving a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9.
On Wednesday, Trump said he was not happy with Boeing for significant delays delivering next-generation Air Force One planes and warned he might pursue a new option.
Boeing has lost more than $2 billion on its contract to deliver two new presidential aircraft. Trump raised the issue of the delayed planes in a call with Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg soon after he was elected in November.
Boeing's Air Force One program could be delayed until 2029, or beyond, a White House official told Reuters this week.
Ortberg will testify on April 2 before the Senate Commerce Committee on steps taken by Boeing following the 2024 Alaska Airlines mid-air emergency.
"There have been too many unfortunate safety issues with Boeing in recent years," Senator Ted Cruz, chair of the Commerce Committee, said on Thursday, adding the public needs to know the steps the planemaker is taking to restore confidence.
Trump's nominee to be deputy transportation secretary, Steve Bradbury, said Thursday that regulators "need to be tougher on Boeing."
The Federal Aviation Administration imposed a production cap on Boeing of 38 737 jets a month after the Alaska Airlines plane incident. Boeing is still working to get approval to sell two new versions of the 737 MAX from the FAA.
Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plan to visit Boeing facilities in Seattle in mid-March to get an update on the firm's quality efforts. Duffy has said he will not lift the cap until he is satisfied with Boeing's quality improvements.
(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Utkarsh Shetti in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona and Nia Williams)
