The surprise is not that this meeting is apparently going to happen, but that it wasn¡¯t set up sooner.

Airline executives have requested a meeting with Boeing officials, at which time they are expected to discuss safety standards at the airplane manufacturer and production delays in the wake of the January 5 incident in which a door panel blew off a Boeing plane in mid-flight.

Boeing has been under considerable scrutiny and criticism since the Alaska Airlines accident.

The meeting between airline executives and Boeing management is rumored to happen as soon as this coming week. Airlines want to hear the jet maker¡¯s strategy for fixing the quality control problems that have come to light, but they also want to talk about manufacturing issues now slowing deliveries.

No doubt they will also talk about the allegations that Boeing is impeding the National Transportation Safety Board investigation.

It¡¯s been a trickle-down effect. Southwest Airlines, for instance, only uses Boeing-made planes in its fleet. As a result of the production delays, the carrier said it would receive only 46 of the 79 jets it ordered and would scale back on the number of flights and staff hiring.

On an earnings call, Boeing CEO David Calhoun addressed the backlash.

¡°We simply must be better. Our customers deserve better,¡± Calhoun said. ¡°We understand why they are angry and we will work to earn their confidence. There's no message, no slogan that will accomplish that. It's all about real, demonstrated action and absolute transparency.¡±

Passengers are not only concerned about delays and cancellations, but also fear that airfares may potentially rise.

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