What went so wrong with Boeing?

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Boeing, a pioneer of the jet age and one of the most strategically crucial companies to American economic success, has lost its way. Getting back on track will require a daunting campaign to win back the trust of travelers, airlines, regulators, investors and its own employees.

This year, a fuselage panel blew off one of its jets in midair. Its Starliner space capsule left two astronauts stranded in orbit. Its biggest union halted airplane production, worsening its cash drain.

It is poised to plead guilty in a case tied to two fatal accidents, and its credit rating is flirting with junk status. There are many potential villains here: a culture that put financial engineering before aerospace engineering, an outsourcing strategy that shifted work to lower-cost factories or suppliers, a pursuit of production goals over safety goals, and distant leadership removed from employees. Whatever the cause, Boeing has reached a point where people are genuinely asking: Could Boeing fail? And what would an endgame look like in such a scenario involving a national icon? After the crashes reduced the public’s trust in the company, regulators, under pressure from lawmakers, began scrutinizing Boeing more closely, slowing deliveries and approval of new airplane models.

Kelly Ortberg, who took over as Boeing’s chief executive barely three months ago, told investors and employees this past week: “The trust in our company has eroded." Boeing declined to comment and referred to Ortberg’s comments this week. “It will take time to return Boeing to its former legacy, but with the right focus and culture, we can be an iconic company and aerospace leader once again," he said. In a memo to staff, Ortberg said the