By Howard Hardee • Editor
November 9, 2026
Boeing is making cuts to its commercial workforce as it resets the pace of 737 Max production.
The U.S. airframer disclosed during its third-quarter earnings call late last month that it was moving more slowly on its monthly 737 rate-ramp than previously expected, pointing to wing production as the pacing item.
The proverbial other shoe dropped on November 9 in an internal memo to Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) employees from CEO Stephanie Pope.
“Unfortunately, that means we need to align our staffing levels to our revised business plan, resulting in a reduction of approximately 5% through a combination of attrition and involuntary layoffs,” Pope said.
Stephanie Pope, head of BCA, addresses workers at the North Line’s grand opening in July. Photo credit: Seattle Times/Pool
The memo, viewed by Leeham News and Analysis (LNA), specifies that affected employees will begin receiving notices next month.
Pope points to positive signs of change at BCA over the past two years, including certification of the 737 Max 7 and Max 10, as well as a broad culture shift focused on safety and quality.
“While we have made substantial progress, we have not yet fully recovered,” she said, adding that the company would support workers through the “career transitions” ahead.
There was no immediate indication of how the layoffs will be distributed across BCA, or which categories of workers will be most impacted.
Earlier this year, Boeing avoided a strike by reaching a new four-year contract with the white-collar SPEEA union, which represents mostly commercial employees.
Boeing is working to stabilize at a production rate of 47 737s per month, a target that has been pushed into 2027. It plans to ramp up the Max program beyond that level, but can only proceed when the supply chain and its own production system allows.
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