Boeing to cut 2,500 commercial jobs in Wichita and beyond
The aerospace giant is reducing staff by 5% to slow production, though Wichita employees are currently exempt from the layoffs.
By Nikolai Patterson ·
Boeing plans to cut 2,500 jobs from its commercial airplane division, a 5% reduction of its 50,000-person workforce. The company announced the move in an internal email sent to employees on Monday, November 9.
Stephanie Pope, president of Boeing’s commercial airplane division, explained that the company must slow its production ramp to allow factories and supply chain partners time to stabilize. She noted that adjusting schedules has left the company overstaffed relative to its revised business plan.
The reductions will begin next month and will combine natural attrition with involuntary layoffs. Pope stated that the company aims to minimize the impact by offering outplacement services, layoff benefits, and Employee Assistance Program support to departing workers.
Local officials in Wichita, where Boeing employs about 13,000 people, sent a message to staff confirming that local employees are not currently being considered for layoffs, voluntary separation, or early retirement. The same protection applies to workers in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Boeing purchased the Wichita facility from Spirit AeroSystems in December 2025, making it the city's largest employer.
The staffing cuts follow a decision to delay the next production rate increase on the 737 Max line until mid-2027. During a conference call last month, CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company is taking longer than expected to stabilize Max jet production. He identified wing production issues in Renton, Washington, as a primary factor holding back output, causing the company to miss its yearly delivery target for the aircraft.
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