Boeing cuts 5% of commercial plane staff, Wichita and Tulsa safe

Boeing will reduce its commercial airplane workforce by 5% starting next month. The cuts combine natural attrition and involuntary terminations. An internal email sent to employees on Monday confirmed the changes.

Stephanie Pope, president of Boeing's commercial division, explained the need to adjust output levels. She stated that resetting production ramps gives factories and partners time to stabilize operations. The move places the company in an overstaffed position relative to its new business plan.

The commercial division employs approximately 50,000 people. This includes staff at the Wichita facility, which Boeing bought from Spirit AeroSystems last December. Wichita serves as one of the state's largest employers with about 13,000 workers.

Officials in Wichita and Tulsa, Oklahoma, told local staff that those locations are not currently considered for layoffs, voluntary separations, or early retirement. Pope acknowledged the difficulty of the decision and the impact on families and communities.

The company will offer outplacement services, layoff benefits, and Employee Assistance Program support to aid career transitions. Earlier this month, Boeing executives told investors they would miss yearly delivery targets for 737 Max jets.

CEO Kelly Ortberg noted that production rates are taking longer to stabilize than expected. Wing production in Renton, Washington, is holding up output. The company has delayed the next rate increase on the 737 line until mid-2027.