Boeing 777X

History

2024: New 777X plane deliveries delayed by strikes and multibillion-dollar losses

In mid-October 2024, Boeing announced it would delay deliveries of the long-awaited 777X jet until 2026 due to employee strikes and huge losses.

Boeing's financial situation has deteriorated sharply in recent years due to problems in the aviation industry. The delay in delivery of the 777X, the world's largest and most efficient twin-engine aircraft, has made things even worse for the company. Initially, it was planned to bring this aircraft to the market back in 2020, but the release was constantly postponed due to technical problems, certification issues and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Boeing

The 777X was seen as a key element of Boeing's development, as lower fuel consumption and longer range 777X should provide long-term competitive advantages over models such as the Airbus A350. But the constant delays disappoint customers.

In addition to operating and financial challenges, Boeing has faced a massive strike as 33,000 employees of the International Aerospace Workers Association (IAM) have been refusing to work at the company's plants for more than a month. They accuse the leadership of ignoring the interests of working people and making bad decisions that ultimately led to the current crisis. The union believes that employees are not responsible for the situation and that the strike is the result of management errors.

Amid those challenges, Boeing plans to cut about 17,000 jobs and halt production of the 767 cargo plane ahead of schedule. However, production of the KC-46A Pegasus military refueling aircraft, built on the basis of the 767, will continue.^[1]

Notes