A union representing approximately 1,600 white-collar employees at Spirit AeroSystems has reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement with Boeing. The deal, pending ratification, covers engineers, planners and administrative staff who assemble fuselage sections for Boeing’s narrow-body jets. Industry sources indicate the agreement includes a 10% wage increase phased in over three years, enhanced retirement benefits and a commitment to cap health-care cost increases. The resolution removes a significant supply-chain risk for Boeing, where delayed fuselage deliveries had threatened production targets for the 737 and 787 programs.

A newly released National Transportation Safety Board report reveals Boeing was aware since 2011 that a critical engine-attachment bearing used on MD-11 freighters had failed on three separate aircraft. Boeing issued a non-mandatory service bulletin recommending replacement with a redesigned bearing but did not secure a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive. When one of these bearings fractured during a November 4 takeoff roll in Louisville, Kentucky, the MD-11 lost its left engine and crashed shortly after rotation, killing 15 people. The report raises questions about Boeing’s decision not to enforce mandatory inspections or replacements, and may feature prominently in pending litigation against the company.

Boeing reported a fourth-quarter delivery increase to 160 commercial aircraft, bringing the full-year total to 600 jets—its strongest output since 2018. This uptick was driven by accelerated 737 production rates, the ramp-up of 787 Dreamliner deliveries and a reduced backlog of undelivered frames. Management reiterated forecasts for positive free cash flow in 2026, citing improved cash conversion from commercial sales and aftermarket services. Underlying this performance, Boeing secured new orders for over 300 aircraft during the past nine months, while navigating recent regulatory approvals for 737 MAX variants in key markets. These developments have strengthened investor confidence in Boeing’s execution and long-term growth trajectory.