Boeing said it has resumed assembly of its best-selling aircraft after a debilitating 53-day strike, with November deliveries hitting the lowest level in four years.
Boeing delivered nine of its 737 Max models in November, along with two 787 Dreamliners and two 777 freighters. All aircraft were built before the strike and delivered out of stock.
The planemaker said it has fully restarted operations at the complex in Renton, Washington, south of Seattle, where it makes the 737 jet. In the weeks since the strike ended, Boeing has had to align parts and tools, as well as train and recertify workers who were removed from the assembly line during the contract dispute.
Boeing has not yet restarted production on its 777, 777X and 767 assembly lines at the Everett plant north of Seattle, but the company expects production to resume in the coming days. While the 787 Dreamliner has not been affected by the strike as it is manufactured in a non-union manufacturing complex in South Carolina, the model has been hampered by shortages of cabin equipment and other components.
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Reestablishing the normal rhythm of Boeing factories is one of the main priorities of Kelly Ortberg, who took over as CEO in August. The planemaker said it is creating specific plans for each plane program to identify and mitigate potential risks at each stage of the restart.
The North American aircraft manufacturer continues to lose ground to Airbus, its main rival. The European planemaker delivered 84 jets in November, bringing its total for the year to 643 aircraft. Boeing delivered 318 planes as it faced the strike and – before that – slower production to improve quality after a near-catastrophic crash earlier in the year.
Boeing recorded 49 gross jet orders in November, compared to 14 cancellations. During the year, the North American manufacturer recorded 427 gross orders. After cancellations, conversions and a US accounting provision for businesses at risk, Boeing has a balance of 191 deliveries to fulfill so far in 2024.
