Boeing's 787 Dreamliner in the Hot Seat Over 'Shoddy Production and Weak Oversight'
One of the toughest jobs on the planet at the moment has to be handling public relations for Boeing. In the wake of the Lion Air crash, the Ethiopian Airlines crash less than six months later, and the worldwide grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX fleet, it's been nearly nonstop bad news for the company. Today, the New York Times published a new report about Boeing's 787 Dreamliner that will make that job even tougher.
The report, which is based on "hundreds of pages of internal emails, corporate documents and federal records, as well as interview with more than a dozen current and former employees," focuses on Boeing's North Charleston, SC, plant, which is one of two locations where Boeing produces the 787 Dreamliner (the other being Everett, WA). The Times' investigation of Boeing "reveals a culture that often valued production speed over quality." Facing delays and massive cost overruns since even the early days of the 787 program, Boeing "pushed its work force to quickly turn out Dreamliners, at times ignoring issues raised by employees."
Joseph Clayton, a former technician, went on record to say he told his wife that he never plans to fly on the Dreamliner. "It's just a safety issue," Clayton said.
The Times' article isn't the first indication that something might have been amiss at Boeing's North Charleston factory. Qatar Airways stopped accepting aircraft built in the South Carolina plant after receiving damaged planes and delayed deliveries.
In addition, the United States Air Force has twice now stopped taking deliveries of the KC-46 Pegasus, which is based on Boeing's 767 and built at the Everett plant. The military cited issues with foreign object debris, or FOD, meaning any foreign objects in the aircraft that could potentially cause damage, as the main issue. Debris can range from something as tiny as metal shavings to larger items like wrenches, bolts or other tools and parts.
Rich Mester, a pre-delivery review technician with Boeing, told the Times his FOD sightings included tubes of sealant, nuts and "stuff from the build process." While FOD is a fairly common issue in the manufacturing of aircraft, objects are usually removed during detailed inspections.
John Barnett, a former quality manager who worked at Boeing for nearly 30 years, routinely discovered metal slivers hanging over the wiring that commands the Dreamliner flight controls. If the sharp metal pieces were to penetrate the wires, he said, it could be "catastrophic." Barnett said he "urged his bosses to remove the shavings" but that they refused and instead relocated him within the factory.
TPG obtained an email that was sent out to all employees from Brad Zaback, the 787 vice president and general manager, in response to the article in the Times. Zaback told employees that the story "paints a skewed and inaccurate picture of the program and of our team here at Boeing South Carolina." He went on to say that the article featured "distorted information, rehashing old stories and rumors that have long ago been put to rest."
According to Zaback, Boeing gave the Times the opportunity to tour the Charleston plant, but the Times "declined this invitation."
PR nightmare aside, it would seem that Boeing's customers are still backing the aviation giant. American Airlines spokesperson Ross Feinstein issued a statement saying, "We have confidence in the 787s we have in our fleet." In addition, Norwegian Airlines said, "We are very satisfied with the quality and reliability of all 33 of our Dreamliners, regardless of where they have been assembled."
For the latest travel news, deals and points and miles tips please subscribe to The Points Guy daily email newsletter.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.