In choosing to take the 787 away from Everett, the original assembly site, Boeing ignored pleas from local officials who lauded the Pacific Northwest as home to the best aviation and aerospace workforce in the world.
Larsen promised to try to bring the work back later.
“As the economy comes back and air travel returns, I will fight to bring 787 production back to Everett,” he said in a statement.
Boeing spokeswoman Jessica Kowal declined to confirm or deny The Journal story.
“Nothing has changed in what we’ve said,” Kowal responded when asked.
Several other members of the state’s congressional delegation also criticized the expected decision.
“For decades, talented and dedicated engineers, machinists and workers across our region proudly contributed their skills and ingenuity around the clock to power Boeing, our economy and this country to new heights,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, in a statement. “Quality, safety and overall success are all foolishly sacrificed when production moves to a region without this kind of expertise — made clear by safety lapses and ‘shoddy production’ at the North Charleston plant in 2019 and again last month when eight 787 jets were pulled from service after flaws were identified at the South Carolina factory.”
Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Medina, said she was “deeply disappointed” by the expected move. “Washington state has been the home to Boeing and the world’s strongest aerospace community for decades. Our highly trained workforce, strong education pipeline, extensive supply chain, significant investment in aerospace innovation and infrastructure, and overall quality of life give our region a unique advantage in this sector, and that will continue.”