Boeing News

Bloomberg

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FAA orders inspections of Boeing 787s after manufacturing gaps fall outside engineering specifications

The FAA is requiring inspections of some Boeing 787 Dreamliners after a Boeing investigation identified potential manufacturing errors that left gaps outside approved engineering specifications. The directive adds a new compliance and quality-control burden to the 787 program, with implications for affected operators and Boeing’s production oversight.

AirInsight

United’s 737 MAX 10 Lie-Flat Seats Remain in Storage as Structural Issues Cloud Entry Into Service

United Airlines’ lie-flat seats for its 737 MAX 10 aircraft remain in storage while the airplane awaits entry into service. The delay may reflect structural issues with the aircraft or installation—not simply production timing—raising questions about United’s premium-cabin plans for the type.

Leeham News

Boeing’s trajectory is improving after years of program failures, but recovery remains incomplete

An assessment of Boeing’s recent direction finds signs of improvement after nearly two decades of setbacks, beginning with the 787 rollout and extending through the 737 Max program’s multi-year failures from March 2019 into mid-2024. The analysis says the company still has substantial work ahead.

Leeham News

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Airbus Once Led Boeing in Widebody Sales; It Is Now a Distant Second

Airbus executives once celebrated overtaking Boeing in widebody sales, underscoring the European manufacturer’s earlier competitive momentum. The company has since fallen well behind its U.S. rival in the segment, marking a significant reversal in the long-haul aircraft market and Airbus’ commercial positioning.

FlightGlobal

Kenya Airways nears Boeing 777 freighter lease as losses and fleet shortages pressure recovery

Kenya Airways is nearing an agreement to lease a Boeing 777 freighter while maintaining its goal of capturing 40% of the cargo market. The move comes as the flag carrier prioritizes a capital raise and fleet restoration after widebody groundings, rising fuel costs and a widened 2025 half-year loss.

AeroTime

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SWISS Boeing 777 diverts to the Azores after strong cabin odor triggers emergency

SWISS flight LX9 from Chicago O’Hare to Zurich diverted to Lajes Airport on Terceira after crew detected an unidentified, pungent odor in the Economy cabin. The Boeing 777 landed safely, and SWISS dispatched a replacement aircraft to carry stranded passengers onward.

FlightGlobal

Boeing engineers reject four-year deal, raising prospect of another strike

Members of a Boeing engineers’ union voted down a proposed four-year employment agreement last week, leaving the parties without a defined path forward. The rejection raises the risk of fresh labor disruption after Boeing machinists walked off the job in 2024 and 2025.

Leeham News

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Traveled Work Remains a Constraint on Boeing’s Wichita 737 MAX Line

Reducing traveled work at Spirit AeroSystems’ former facility in Wichita, Kansas, remains critical to Boeing’s effort to reintegrate the operation and increase 737 MAX production rates. The persistent issue underscores the manufacturing and integration challenges accompanying Boeing’s Spirit takeover.