Boeing will cut 5% of its commercial airplane workforce - The Seattle Times
Boeing is reducing its commercial airplane workforce by 5% through layoffs and attrition to stabilize production schedules. The move follows ongoing manufacturing challenges and a decision to slow down output increases for the 737 MAX.
Why it matters
As a major aerospace manufacturer, Boeing's production and staffing struggles have significant implications for the global aviation industry and supply chain stability.
Boeing is cutting its workforce by about 5% and slowing its plan to increase commercial airplane output, after months of scaling production in the Puget Sound region.
The 5% workforce reduction will be a combination of layoffs and attrition, Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief Stephanie Pope said in an email sent to employees Monday and shared with The Seattle Times.
It’s not clear how many employees will be laid off. Those who are affected will be notified in December.
Boeing had nearly 182,000 employees as of December 2025, the most recent employee head count available on the company’s website. Of those, nearly 50,500 worked in its commercial airplanes division.
It’s also not clear how the job cuts will impact Boeing’s Puget Sound-area factories, where Boeing assembles the majority of its commercial aircraft. The company had just over 65,000 employees in Washington as of December.
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in