"Economic conditions have bottomed"
Economic conditions have bottomed" and the airline industry will see growth in 2010, Scott Carson, ceo of Boeing's commercial jet division, said.
Mr Carson, speaking on the opening day of the Paris Air Show, said the global economy was already showing signs of recovery.
He said: "At this point it appears to us that the economic conditions have bottomed. If they have bottomed and a recovery comes next year, I think we have a shot at getting through", according to a report in the New York Times.
Mr. Carson added that he believed the squeeze by banks on credit for airlines to buy new aircraft would be "shortlived" and a "more normal trend" in financing would return by the second half of 2010.
But the Times reported that his optimism was not shared by others and quoted two other London analysts who feared the worst might not be over.
It quoted Sash Tusa, an independent aerospace industry consultant in London, as saying: You've got to look at the post-recession environment. What will be the effect of a rising interest-rate environment?"
Nick Cunningham, an aerospace and airline industry analyst with Evolution Securities in London, was quoted as saying: "I think the winter is going to be horrible.
"Returning to growth again is still about another year out - in other words, you're looking at another 12 months of traffic still declining."
The airline industry has been severely hit by the recession with major carriers cutting costs, frequencies and in some cases staff to cope with a fall in demand, especially form business class travellers.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has predicted earlier this month that the industry will lose $9bn this year.
This is nearly double the loss of $4.7bn it forecast in March.
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