Training and Workforce
Cutting 'Traveled Work' Delays At Spirit Critical To 737 Output
Spirit AeroSystems workers give Leeham News and Analysis the inside track
Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas
Boeing is seeking further improvements in production efficiency at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas, since acquiring the Tier 1 supplier.

Cutting down on traveled work at Spirit AeroSystems's former facility in is critical for Boeing's efforts to reintegrate its newly acquired subsidiary and boost 737 Max production rates. The airframer maintains that it has made progress since closing the deal for Spirit in December 2025, and some Wichita workers have told Leeham News and Analysis (LNA) that the amount of traveled work occurring on the 737 line is effectively being reduced.

But there are indications that such work remains a challenge for 737 fuselage production line at the former Spirit plant. Workers on the line observed that traveled work still occurs on a large scale, often disrupting workflows.