Boeing Says Backlash Will Them Better

In a message shared with Boeing employees, President and CEO Dave Calhoun shared the view that the added scrutiny of the company will improve it in the long term.

Boeing To Be Better

Following a door blowout incident on an Alaska Airlines 737-9, much of the focus has shifted from the aircraft and incident itself to practices undertaken at the Boeing company that see slips in quality continuously occur.

As part of a direct response to these incidents, the manufacturer addressed concerns by implementing immediate changes to its practices. This included increased oversight of its production processes and suppliers’ processes.

Additionally, the plane maker opened its doors to key customers to increase transparency about the work undertaken. Alaska Airlines would send a team to inspect the aircraft produced to ensure their planes were of the highest standard.

New Comments From CEO

Boeing’s CEO has shared new comments saying that he’s engaged in tough conversations with customers, regulators, and lawmakers to improve. All these stakeholders are disappointed in the company, and Boeing knows it’ll take time to regain confidence.

Ensuring that transparency and demonstrated action are launched from day one is essential for Boeing to see trust and confidence regained from stakeholders. Analysts have warned that until action is proved, many of these comments can be viewed as open-ended, especially after what has occurred over the last half a decade.

On the factory floor, Calhoun says that the people working there know better than anyone what they must do to improve. He highlights the need to seek feedback, encourage team members, and create a better environment.

Concerns about Boeing’s culture have been a topic for some time; insiders would argue this originated from a McDonnell Douglas and Boeing merger. However, analysts believe a culture change will be hard without adjustments to upper management.

No Financial Guidances

In the final part of a new message by the CEO, Calhoun revealed that while they typically update their financial and operational objectives at this time of the year, they won’t be doing so this time around.

As a collective, Boeing believes now is not the time to do such a thing. Instead, the focus will continue to be placed on building every airplane to the highest quality.

Calhoun concluded by saying he has every confidence in Boeing’s recovery and confidence in Boeing as a company. While they have a challenge ahead of themselves, he believes the team is more than up to the task.