Boeing engineers' strike action delays aircraft delivery - delsays delivery of Atlas Air 747-400 freighter - Brief Article

Airline Industry Information, Feb 14, 2000

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2000 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A strike conducted by Boeing Co engineers has apparently delayed the delivery of a USD187m aircraft.

However, the likelihood of this happening again in connection with the industrial action is slim since the US Federal Aviation Administration has stepped into the conflict and said that it will resume the authority for conducting the final check on aircraft that allows them to be delivered.

Authority was given to three Boeing engineers to sign off on aircraft in August 1999 and has been rescinded due to the strike action. Only one of the three engineers is believed to be a member of SPEEA - the union conducting the strike.

The aircraft delayed in this instance was a 747-400 freighter for Atlas Air Inc due for delivery on 11 February.

A spokesperson for Boeing acknowledged that the aircraft had been due for delivery on Friday but said also that `there can be any number of events that can cause one or two days slippage in a delivery schedule` according to Reuters. It was also said that Boeing would not incur any delay penalties until 1 March.

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