Boeing has announced the resumption of production for its 767 and 777 wide-body aircraft, marking a significant step forward following a seven-week strike by 33,000 factory workers in the Pacific Northwest. The strike began in September and brought production to a standstill across multiple aircraft programs, including the best-selling 737 MAX. The aerospace giant confirmed last week that it restarted 737 MAX production in early December and has now extended those efforts to its wide-body programs in Everett, Washington.
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Stephanie Pope, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, took to social media to announce that production has resumed across the 737, 767, and 777/777X airplane programs. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that all manufacturing teams were up-to-date with their training and certifications, highlighting the strategic positioning of inventory to facilitate smooth production processes. This careful approach was taken to mitigate risks associated with restarting operations, especially after such an extended period of inactivity. The production halt had a substantial impact on Boeing's delivery numbers, with the company reporting only 13 commercial jets delivered in November 2024, a significant drop compared to the 56 handed over to customers the previous year. The resumption of wide-body aircraft production is crucial for Boeing, not only for financial recovery but also to meet the ongoing demand from airlines worldwide.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been closely monitoring Boeing's return to production. Mike Whitaker, the head of the FAA, expressed satisfaction with Boeing's methodical approach to restarting production, emphasizing safety as a priority. The FAA plans to intensify its oversight to ensure that no corners are cut in the process of ramping up production. This comes after previous incidents involving the 737 MAX, which led to stringent production caps and increased regulatory scrutiny.
Boeing's commitment to using its Safety Management System to identify and address potential issues has been central to the restart process. Pope has assured that the company will closely track production health performance indicators to focus on delivering safe, high-quality airplanes on time to its customers. The restart of the 767 and 777 production lines is not just about catching up on orders but also about restoring confidence in Boeing's operational capabilities and safety standards in the competitive aviation market.