Boeing to Cut 5% of Commercial Jet Workforce as 737 Output Slows
Boeing will cut about 5% of its commercial jet workforce, roughly 2,500 jobs, as slower 737 MAX output leaves the unit overstaffed, with notices from December.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / SounderBruce
SEATTLE, November 10, 2026 — Boeing will cut about 5% of the workforce in its Commercial Airplanes division, roughly 2,500 jobs, after slowing its production ramp-up. Stephanie Pope, the division's chief, told staff in a memo on Monday that slower output has left the unit overstaffed.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes employed 50,494 people at the end of December 2025, the company says on its website. A 5% reduction would therefore put about 2,500 roles at risk, although the company has not confirmed a precise number.
Key Takeaways
- Boeing Commercial Airplanes will cut about 5% of its workforce, roughly 2,500 of 50,494 jobs, through layoffs and attrition.
- The target of 47 737 MAX jets a month has slipped to early 2027 from summer 2026; 52 a month is planned for the second half of 2027.
- The commercial division lost $697 million in the third quarter on $10.7 billion of revenue, even as backlog topped 6,300 aircraft worth $612 billion.
- Layoff notices are expected from December, and the machinists' union has been told.
A slower ramp leaves the division overstaffed
Pope told employees the company needed to reset production increases to give factories and suppliers more time to stabilise output. "Adjusting our production schedules and reducing aircraft output puts us in an overstaffed position," she wrote.
The 737 MAX is at the centre of the delay. Boeing has struggled to raise output from 42 jets a month to 47, a step it had hoped to finish by summer. Kelly Ortberg, the chief executive, told an industrial conference in September that wing production is too slow. The 787 holds at eight aircraft a month.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 751, which represents many Seattle-area workers, said it had been notified. Boeing shares were down less than 1% in afternoon trading.
Losses widen even as orders pile up
The cuts follow a weak third quarter for the commercial division. Boeing's results release for the three months to September 30 showed commercial revenue of $10.72 billion, down 3% from a year earlier, and an operating loss of $697 million, wider than the $360.8 million analysts had expected.
The division delivered 161 aircraft and booked 300 net orders, including Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and Lufthansa. Backlog topped 6,300 aircraft worth $612 billion. Group revenue was $24.2 billion; net loss was $116 million. Finance chief Jay Malave has said the commercial division may not return to profitability until 2027.
The announcement landed as the market digested Monday's relief rally, in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1,104 points as oil prices fell. It also came as China's trade surplus passed $1 trillion in the first 10 months of 2026.
| Measure | Figure | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial workforce | 50,494 (Dec 2025) | About 2,500 at risk |
| 737 MAX target | 47 a month, early 2027 | Was summer 2026 |
| Q3 revenue | $10.72 billion | Down 3% YoY |
| Q3 operating loss | $697 million | Expected: $360.8m |
| Q3 deliveries | 161 aircraft | One more than 2025 |
| Backlog | 6,300+ aircraft, $612 billion | Record $745bn total |
First significant cut since the 2024 crisis
The cut would be Boeing's first significant workforce reduction since 2024, when the company shed 17,000 jobs during a crisis set off by a machinists' strike and a door plug blowing out of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. Ortberg, who took the top job in 2024, has worked to repair a debt-laden balance sheet through sales of non-core assets.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many jobs is Boeing cutting?
About 2,500 roles, roughly 5% of the Commercial Airplanes workforce. The division employed 50,494 people at the end of December 2025, and Boeing has not confirmed an exact number.
When will affected workers be told?
Notices are expected to begin in December. In several US states the company must give 60 days' notice, and the machinists' union has already been told.
Why cut jobs when Boeing has a record order book?
The division is producing jets more slowly than planned, so it is overstaffed for current output. Boeing has struggled to lift 737 MAX output from 42 to 47 jets a month, with wing production the bottleneck.
What are Boeing's new production targets?
Boeing now expects 47 737 MAX jets a month in early 2027, not summer 2026. A further step to 52 a month is planned for the second half of 2027.
Boeing has not said which sites will be affected. Notices are expected in December, and investors will get the next production update with fourth-quarter results.
