Safety, not speed | Boeing CEO to place workplace wellbeing at center of reformed production strategy

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg has assured US lawmakers that the company is prioritizing worker safety and production quality over speed as it works to address ongoing issues after a 2024 in-flight emergency involving a 737 MAX 9.

Speaking at a US Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Ortberg said Boeing is committed to long-term improvements in safety culture.

“I’m not pressuring the team to go fast. I’m pressuring the team to do it right,” he told senators, emphasizing that while the company aims to resume producing 38 737 MAX planes per month and eventually exceed that number, no firm timeline has been set.

Airline customers remain frustrated by delivery delays, Ortberg acknowledged, but he said they recognize the need for Boeing to implement rigorous safety measures before increasing production. “They know we’ve got to do this right,” he said.