United is asking pilots to take unpaid leave, due to Boeing delays

“Due to recent changes in our Boeing delivery operations, United’s projected remaining 2024 operating hours have been significantly reduced,” the United Chapter of the Airline Pilots Association, the pilots’ union, said in a memo to members on Friday. “While delivery issues surround our 787 and 737 fleets, the impact will impact other fleets as well.”

United confirmed the request for voluntary unpaid leave. The airline previously said it would stop hiring pilots this spring due to late arrivals of planes from Boeing, CNBC reported last month.

The union said it expects United to offer more furloughs “for the summer promotion periods and possibly into the fall.”

United was contracted to take delivery of 43 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 34 MAX 9 planes this year, but now expects to take delivery of 37 and 19 planes, respectively, according to the company's February filing. It had also expected Boeing to deliver 80 Max 10 planes this year and 71 next year. This model has not yet been approved by the FAA, and the airline has removed it from the delivery schedule because it is “unable to accurately predict the expected delivery period,” it said in the filing.

United CEO Scott Kirby has been among the most vocal about production problems and delivery delays at Boeing, including a crisis recently triggered by a door seal that exploded on a nearly new Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines that was on about 16,000 flights. foot.

Boeing did not immediately comment.

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun announced last week that he would leave at the end of the year as part of a broad leadership shakeup, which included the departure of the chairman of the board and head of Boeing's commercial aircraft unit.