Update on the Supply Chain Situation in the United States

The supply chain issues for the U.S. market and the supply of parts, components, and spare parts that arose with the pandemic are not yet fully resolved.

Boeing offers a vivid and costly example of how supply chain shortages can trigger cascading problems in business operations.

The lack of parts and other issues have led the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing to face a severe storage problem, with around 200 planes, completed or nearly completed, parked on airfields, outside factories, and, in one case, even in an employee parking lot. Delays in the delivery of parts, components, and spare parts by suppliers have left Boeing with planes waiting for essential components like seats and emergency doors to be completed.

Even some 777 freighters in Everett, Washington, are waiting for engines because the engine manufacturer, GE Aerospace, has also encountered difficulties with its own suppliers. Until May 2024, Boeing had only managed to deliver two freighter planes. When some engines arrived in June 2024, Boeing was able to deliver five more planes. Beyond the situation with the freighter planes, the major issue concerns passenger jets, including some narrow-body 737 MAX that are now several years old.