'Changes…Need to Happen,' Boeing Official Says

In the wake of incidents related to aircraft safety, the manufacturer now focusing on reducing use of ‘traveled work.’

Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 02:17 PM ET

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Boeing is making efforts to improve the quality and safety of its aircraft production line, according to a company official. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Boeing acknowledges the need for significant quality and safety improvements following the Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 door plug incident and is committed to making changes diligently.
A key initiative is eliminating "traveled work," ensuring components are fully conforming at their intended station, which pushes quality control upstream to suppliers like Spirit AeroSystems.
The company is deliberately constraining 737 production rates to prioritize quality over speed, a move that will impact deliveries but is supported by customers.

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Boeing is making efforts to improve the quality and safety of its aircraft production line, according to a company official.

“There’s changes that need to happen,” Brian West, Boeing’s chief financial officer, said Wednesday in addressing the Bank of America Global Industrials Conference in London. “There’s no doubt about it. But we’re going to do so diligently and expeditiously.”