Boeing (BA.US): Resumes Production Of 767, 777 Widebody Jets, All Projects Paused Due To Strike Have Restarted

Boeing (BA.US) said Tuesday evening that it had resumed production of all aircraft projects that were suspended due to a strike by mechanics in the Pacific Northwest, with the company's commercial aircraft chief executive Stephanie Pope saying on social media that it had now resumed production of the 737, 767 and 777/777X aircraft.About a month ago, 33,000 factory workers went on strike for seven weeks. Boeing confirmed last week that it had restarted production of its best-selling 737 MAX jetliner in early December. The company also said it had now resumed production of its affected wide-body aircraft projects in Everett, Washington."We took time to ensure all manufacturing team members were trained and certified, and positioned inventory at optimal levels to ensure a smooth production ramp," Pope said.Boeing said last week that it delivered just 13 commercial aircraft in November, down from 56 a year ago and down from 14 in October, when most of its production was halted during the strike.Mike Whitaker, head of the Federal Aviation Administration, said earlier this month that he was pleased Boeing was slowly and safely resuming production. The FAA said it would step up its oversight as Boeing resumes production.Whitaker, who in January restricted 737 MAX production to 38 jets a month, after an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 jetliner had four critical bolts missing from its cabin door during a flight, said he would meet with Boeing again in January to discuss production.Pope said employees were using Boeing's safety management system to identify and address potential issues to ensure a safe and orderly restart of production."As we move forward, we will closely monitor production health metrics and focus on delivering safe, high-quality aircraft to our customers on time," Pope said.