Two years after the Alaska Airlines door plug incident led regulators to cap 737 production, Boeing is using new quality processes at its Renton factory as it seeks to rebuild trust in its 737 programme. The company currently produces about 42 737s a month and expects to produce 47 by early 2027, while standardising readiness criteria and encouraging employees to raise concerns.
Two fatal 737 Max crashes in 2018–2019 killed 346 people; flaws in an anti-stall system were blamed. In 2024, a door on an Alaska Airlines plane came off in flight, prompting regulators to cap 737 production and increase oversight. Whistle-blower reports and internal emails showing disregard for regulators and clients have cost Boeing dearly.
To address its recent woes, Boeing has changed its assembly-line processes. Vice president of quality Hector Silva said the “move ready” process standardises criteria for judging whether an airframe is ready to advance, replacing criteria previously left to individual teams. The new approach has helped cut in half instances of “travelled work”, work completed outside its assigned place on the assembly line. The 2024 Alaska Airlines door plug incident, which involved a supplier defect, was also partially attributed to travelled work.
Employees are also encouraged to use a “speak up” programme to report safety, quality or compliance concerns, confidentially or anonymously. Brion Baker, Boeing’s quality process governance manager, said the shift came when teammates saw the leadership team responding directly to concerns. “When you see that happening then it just encourages more of that.”
Despite the progress, Boeing acknowledges it has not fully recovered. Head of commercial aeroplanes Stephanie Pope said last week: “While we have made substantial progress, we have not yet fully recovered.” The company announced it would cut 5 per cent of its 50,000-strong commercial workforce after delaying production increases. Aviation analyst Shukor Yusof from Endau Analytics said Boeing had clearly lost its verve and that full recovery was unlikely before 2030.
Boeing has also enhanced training and is bringing some sources back in-house. It repurchased fuselage maker Spirit AeroSystems, two decades after selling it as part of an outsourcing trend. A positive sign came with Federal Aviation Administration approval of the 737 Max 10, which Virgin has on order. “With what Boeing is focused on – quality and safety … I don’t think we’re going to see any issues at all,” said Grant Holve of Forecast International.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Boeing's recovery affects global airline operations and fleet planning, including Australian carriers like Virgin and Qantas that rely on the 737.
- The success of new quality measures will determine whether regulators ease production caps, influencing delivery timelines and aircraft availability.
- The outcome will shape the future of commercial aviation's most popular aircraft and could set new industry benchmarks for manufacturing transparency and safety.
Background
Boeing has been grappling with a series of crises since the 2018–2019 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people. The 2024 Alaska Airlines door plug incident led to FAA production caps. The company has since restructured its quality processes, shifted to a standardised "move ready" system, and increased employee training and reporting channels. It posted its first profit since 2019 last year, but still faces significant challenges.
Key Perspectives
Hector Silva (Boeing vice president of quality): The new standardised process demonstrates the company values employee input and ensures better discipline on the assembly line.
Brion Baker (quality process governance manager): The "speak up" programme has become more effective as management now responds directly to reported concerns.
Stephanie Pope (head of commercial aeroplanes): Boeing has made substantial progress but has not fully recovered.
Shukor Yusof (aviation analyst, Endau Analytics): Boeing has lost its verve and full recovery is unlikely before 2030.
Grant Holve (Forecast International): With its focus on quality and safety, Boeing is unlikely to see further issues.
What to Watch
- Monthly 737 production rate: can Boeing reach 47 by early 2027 and eventually 52?
- Continued FAA oversight and potential further regulatory actions based on quality outcomes.
- Impact on airline orders: how will Virgin and other carriers respond to delivery timelines and the Max 10 certification?
- Further progress on bringing supply chains in-house and its effect on reliability.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedBoeing is revamping 737 production processes to help rebuild trust.The Age - Latest News: “the iconic plane-maker is fighting its way back, improving processes and quality.”
- SupportedNew quality processes and an employee speak-up programme are intended to help prevent errors and surface concerns.The Age - Latest News: “In a bid to sift out problems before they become part of the final product, employees are now encouraged to use a “speak up” program”
- SupportedAn analyst says Boeing’s full recovery is unlikely before 2030.The Age - Latest News: ““Full recovery will take time but it’s unlikely before 2030.””
- SupportedThe Alaska Airlines door incident was followed by regulators capping 737 production and increasing oversight.The Age - Latest News: “In 2024, when a door on an Alaska Airlines plane came off mid-flight, regulators moved in, capping the pace of production of 737s, imposing new limits on the program and increased oversight”
- SupportedBoeing produces about 42 737s a month and expects to produce 47 a month by early 2027.The Age - Latest News: “Boeing currently expects to produce 47 737s a month by early 2027. It currently produces about 42 a month.”
- SupportedThe move-ready process standardises readiness criteria that were previously left to individual teams.The Age - Latest News: “Today, using what it calls the “move ready” process, the criteria for judging the readiness of the plane are standardised across engineering, operations and quality”
- SupportedThe new process has cut instances of travelled work in half.The Age - Latest News: “The new approach has helped cut in half instances of “travelled work””
- SupportedThe 2024 Alaska Airlines door plug incident involved a supplier defect and was partially attributed to travelled work.The Age - Latest News: “The 2024 Alaska Airlines door plug incident – involving a defect from the supplier – was also partially attributed to “travelled work”.”
- SupportedBrion Baker said that seeing leaders respond directly to concerns encourages employees to raise more concerns.The Age - Latest News: ““The shift was when the teammates started to see the leadership team responding directly to those things immediately,” Baker said. “When you see that happening then it just encourages more of that.””
- SupportedStephanie Pope said Boeing had not fully recovered despite substantial progress.The Age - Latest News: ““While we have made substantial progress, we have not yet fully recovered,” its head of commercial aeroplanes Stephanie Pope said.”
- SupportedBoeing announced it would cut 5 per cent of its 50,000-strong commercial workforce after delaying production increases.The Age - Latest News: “Last week Boeing announced it would cut 5 per cent of its 50,000-strong commercial workforce after delaying production increases.”
- SupportedThe FAA approved the 737 Max 10, which Virgin has on order.The Age - Latest News: “In a positive sign, the 737-Max 10, on order from Virgin, was approved by the FAA.”
