By Dan Catchpole
SEATTLE, Nov 9 (Reuters) – Boeing Commercial Airplanes plans to cut 5% of its workforce as it continues to struggle to increase jetliner production output, the division’s chief Stephanie Pope told employees on Monday in an internal memo.
“As shared in our third-quarter earnings, we need to reset the pace of our production rate ramps to provide our factories and supply chain partners additional time to achieve stability. Adjusting our production schedules and reducing aircraft output puts us in an overstaffed position,” Pope said in the memo, which was reviewed by Reuters.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told analysts last month the company would miss its 737 production and jet delivery targets this year. It now expects to hit a 737 production rate of 47 jets per month in early 2027, after previously projecting it would hit that pace by summer 2026.
Boeing has also struggled to increase production of its popular 787 widebody jet from 8 jets a month to 10 a month.
The Seattle-based commercial airplane division had 50,494 employees as of December 2025, according to the company’s website.
Boeing shares were slightly down in midday trading.
(Reporting by Nandan Mandayam in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore and Will Dunham)
