Boeing's troubled era has dimmed the prospects of a preeminent American manufacturer
It was not immediately clear why Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area five minutes after taking off.
Boeing said it was aware of the reports of the crash and was 'working to gather more information.'
It was the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787, a widebody, twin-engine plane known as the Dreamliner. But it's the latest in a string of troubles for Boeing, most of them tied to the 737 Max, a different plane.
Here is a timeline of key events for Boeing in recent years:
December 2009: The 787 Dreamliner makes its first flight, taking off from Paine Field in Everett, Washington.
January 2013: 787s worldwide are grounded nearly three weeks after lithium ion batteries that are part of the planes led to a fire in one plane and smoke in a second.
August 2015: The first 737 Max plane rolls off the production line and within a year are undergoing flight tests.
Oct. 29, 2018: Lion Air Flight 610, a Boeing 737 Max 8, plunges into the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board. Questions arise over a new Boeing flight-control system called MCAS that Boeing did not disclose to pilots and airlines. Indonesian investigators say the Flight 610 pilots struggled for control as the automated system pushed the nose of the plane down more than two dozen times.
March 1, 2019: Wall Street remains enamored with Boeing as commercial aircraft orders rocket. Shares of Boeing Co. close at an all-time high of $430.35.
March 10, 2019: Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 Max 8, crashes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 157 passengers and crew members. Shares of Boeing begin a long, downward slide and have yet to recover.
March 2019: Within days of the second crash, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and regulators in nations around the world order the grounding of all 737 Max jets.
Dec. 23, 2019: Boeing ousts CEO Dennis Muilenburg, who was seen as pressuring the FAA to lift the Max grounding order.
Jan. 7, 2021: U.S. Justice Department charges Boeing with fraud but won't prosecute the company for misleading regulators about the 737 Max if it pays a $2.5 billion settlement.
Jan. 5, 2024: A panel covering an unused emergency exit blows off a 737 Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight. Pilots land the plane safely.
Feb. 26, 2024: A panel of outside experts, convened after the two deadly crashes, reports Boeing's safety culture falls short despite the company's efforts to fix it.
March 11, 2024: A LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flight between Australia and New Zealand suddenly plunges, injuring 50 people. Boeing tells airlines to inspect switches on pilots' seats after a published report said an accidental cockpit seat movement likely cause the rapid loss of altitude.
Monday Mornings
The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week.
March 25, 2024: Dave Calhoun, who replaced Muilenburg, says he will step down as CEO by year-end as part of a broader shakeup of Boeing leadership.
July 7, 2024: Boeing agrees to plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government for misleading regulators who approved pilot-training standards for the Max.
July 31, 2024: Boeing names Kelly Ortberg as its new chief executive. Ortberg is a trained engineer and was CEO of aerospace supplier Rockwell Collins for eight years. Many see his appointment as an attempt by Boeing to get back to its roots.
Sept 13, 2024: About 33,000 Boeing factory workers walk off the job in a strike that will cripple production at one of the preeminent manufacturers in the U.S. for almost two months. It is the first labor action taken against the company in 16 years.
May 23, 2025: The Justice Department reaches a deal with Boeing that takes criminal prosecution off the table for allegedly misleading regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before the two fatal planes crashes. Boeing agreed to pay or invest more than $1.1 billion, including an additional $445 million for crash victims' families, removing the risk of a criminal conviction that would have jeopardized the company's status as a federal contractor.
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Toronto Sun
40 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
Boeing braces for defence hub strike as workers reject offer
Published Jul 27, 2025 • 2 minute read An employee works on the aft fuselage of a Boeing Co. F-15 Strike Eagle fighter aircraft at the Boeing Defense, Space & Security facility in St. Louis, Mo., on Monday, July 24, 2018. Photo by Alex FLynn / Bloomberg Boeing Co. is preparing for a strike at its St. Louis defence hub after factory workers rejected a contract offer that would've boosted their wages by 20% over four years. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 837, which represents 3,200 Boeing defence workers in Missouri and Illinois, said its members voted overwhelmingly against the new terms Sunday. The Boeing proposal 'fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices' of the company's skilled workforce, the union said in a statement. 'Our members are standing together to demand a contract that respects their work and ensures a secure future.' While the present contract expires at 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, there's a seven-day 'cooling off' period before IAM Local 837 workers can walk off the job and shut down manufacturing in Boeing's military aircraft factories. Boeing hasn't scheduled any talks with union leaders, which typically are a precursor to a counteroffer. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We're disappointed our employees voted down the richest contract offer we've ever presented to IAM 837 which addressed all their stated priorities,' said Dan Gillian, Boeing Air Dominance vice president and a senior St. Louis site executive, in a statement. Boeing's offer, which was endorsed by IAM Local 837's bargaining committee, included a $5,000 signing bonus, 8% wage increase in the first year and work schedule changes intended to improve quality of life. All-in, the contract would've boosted average wages by 40%, the company said. 'We've activated our contingency plan and are focused on preparing for a strike,' Gillian said. 'No talks are scheduled with the union.' The aerospace manufacturer faces another labour standoff as it recovers from a two-month strike by a Seattle-based Machinists union that crippled manufacturing at its commercial jet factories last year. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Any labour strife would be costly for Boeing's defence division, which hasn't earned an annual profit since 2022 and is in the middle of a turnaround. A strike would shut down assembly lines for Boeing's F-15 and F/A-18 fighter jets, T-7A trainer, MQ-25 drone refueler and other weapons systems. 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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Boeing's fighter jet workers in the St. Louis area reject a contract offer
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Qatari plane that could be new Air Force One will be ‘unconditional' gift to the Pentagon, agreement says
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