Controversial plane company Boeing is burning through more than $1 billion a month in cash as dozens of planes sit outside of factories in need of parts.
The alleged parts shortage has left the company with 200 unfinished jets sitting in airfields, outside of airline hangers, and even in empty employee parking lots.
What Parts are Needed?
According to the company, some planes are in need of interior parts while others need full engines.
Some planes are actually finished, they are simply waiting to be shipped and delivered to China amid a damaging supply chain issue.
What Is Causing the Delay?
Supply-chain issues and shortages that have lingered since the pandemic have been the cause of missing parts for planes.
Subsidiary companies like seat suppliers have not been able to meet demand because of their own issues with sourcing materials.
How Is Boeing Losing So Much?
Boeing claims to be losing as much as $1 billion per month because more than 200 planes aren’t being used in the air.
The loss of money is the latest bad news in a string of controversy and lawsuits for the major airplane company. Issues with safety restrictions and even a failed mission to the space station has drawn bad press and worse profits.
Slow Production for Months
Earlier this year, Boeing found itself in the midst of a whistleblower scandal. Several current and ex-employees brought up issues present in Boeing factories that compromise the health and safety of staff and customers.
Since then, production has drastically slowed because of several federal investigations. Less planes have been made and even more have been sitting without proper repairs being made.
Working to Remedy the Problem
Executives from the company claim that they are working to remove the backlog and get hundreds of parked planes delivered to their final location.
Boeing said in a statement, “As we have delivered hundreds of 737s and dozens of 787s from inventory in recent years, we have reduced the parking space needed at several sites.”
Boeing Whistleblowers
Five years ago, two brand new Boeing 737 max planes were lost in almost identical incidents that took 346 lives. The issue was allegedly caused by flight control software.
However, this past year, a group of current and former Boeing employees launched a comprehensive lawsuit over several substantiated claims that the company purposely skipped safety checks while manufacturing planes.
Two Whistleblowers Dead
In Early 2024, John Barnett, one of the former quality managers for Boeing at the head of the whistleblower scandal was found dead of an apparent suicide.
In May, a second Boeing whistleblower was found dead under incredibly suspicious circumstances. Josh Dean, an otherwise healthy 45-year-old died suddenly in hospital after contracting a quickly spreading infection.
Airplane Doors Falling Off Mid-Flight
In January, the world was shocked when a door fell of a Boeing 737-9 airplane.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) immediately launched a full investigation after photos were shared of the Alaska Airlines flight in mid-air with the door ripped from its hinges and passengers sitting calmly with oxygen masks over their faces.
A Second Flight Diverted After Similar Issues
The next incident occurred only weeks later when a plane going form Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California was subject to a similar incident.
Passengers on the flight said that they heard a “loud bang” shortly after take off and it was quickly discovered that a large panel was missing from the side of the fuselage. The plane was immediately rerouted back to Portland International Airport where customers were able to safety get off the plane.
Boeing’s Space Flight Fiasco
On June 5, 2024, two NASA astronauts climbed on board a Boeing Starliner spacecraft to take part in a simple week long trip to the International Space Station (ISS).
Unfortunately, there has been nothing but problems with the Boeing built craft and the astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are still stuck in space almost two months later. The debacle has caused even more damage to Boeing’s reputation as NASA considers asking for help from either SpaceX or Russia to save the explorers.
Will Boeing Recover?
It’s difficult to say if Boeing will recover from the financial fallout they have been facing in the past few years.
For now, major changes need to be made in the manufacturing and engineering process while they clear out unfinished inventory.
