Boeing Resumes 737 Production After Two-Month Pause
Boeing has officially restarted the production of its 737 MAX aircraft after a 53-day machinists strike put a halt to production for over two months. According to a Reuters report on Monday, the company resumed production last Friday, following the end of the strikes at its manufacturing plants in the Pacific Northwest.
A Boeing spokesperson confirmed that operations have resumed in the region, with production restarting at the Renton factory and plans to follow in Everett in the coming days. The spokesperson mentioned that the team had been working diligently to restart factory operations, taking the necessary steps to ensure a smooth transition back to production.
The strike, led by 33,000 machinists associated with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union, began in September and was primarily due to demands for better pay and benefits. The strike was resolved through a new contract agreement, leading to the resumption of production.
Before the strikes, Boeing had aimed to produce 38 of its 737 MAX jets per month, but analysts from the Jefferies investment firm now predict an average production of 29 aircraft per month in 2025. In the third quarter of 2024, Boeing delivered 92 737s, bringing the total to 229 for the year. Airbus, Boeing’s competitor, plans to produce 75 A320-series jets per month by October 2027.
Boeing used its Safety Management System to create program-specific plans to identify and mitigate potential risks associated with the restart. The team focused on training, certification, parts readiness, and completing work on airplanes in inventory to prepare for the return to pre-strike production levels.
