Boeing ended its difficult 2024 as the biggest loser in the Dow Jones index

• Of the 30 companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Boeing’s share price fell the most in 2024.

• Aviation got off to a troubling start with the Alaska Airlines explosion in January.

• Its new CEO also had to deal with a seven-week strike that contributed to delivery delays.

Boeing’s painful 2024 ended up with the airline ranking as the biggest loser in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Its share price fell 31% last year – the worst of the 30 companies in the index, according to Markets Insider data.

Aeronautics came close to avoiding that headline, as Nike’s shares fell nearly 30% over the same period. Overall, the Dow Jones was up 13%, led by Nvidia after its stock more than doubled.

A few days into 2024 it was apparent that it would be a testing year for Boeing.

The 5th of January, an Alaska Airlines 737 Max lost a door stopper in the air. The fact that the plane was sent 66 days earlier, suggested that the problem originated with the manufacturer. This was later shown in the preliminary report of the National Transportation Safety Board which said that the plane left the Boeing factory missing key bolts.

The incident sparked an overhaul of the company’s processes and culture — and a wave of criticism from airline bosses.

Regulators have put Boeing under more scrutiny. The Federal Aviation Administration has limited 737 Max production to 38 jets per month. Its chief executive, Mike Whitaker, told Reuters last month that he expects Boeing to take several months to reach that number.

In March, Dave Calhoun stepped down as CEO. He was replaced in August by Kelly Ortbergan industry veteran who signaled a return to prioritizing engineering over profit.

Ortberg announced plans to be based in Seattle, Boeing’s historic home, and toured factories.

However, the struggling company could not stay out of the headlines.

In September, it is Starliner the spacecraft returned to Earth without a crew. The astronauts who took to the International Space Station should return after eight days, but problems with Starliner meant that instead of spending eight months in space.

Later that month, about 30,000 Boeing workers went on strikewhich prevented production for seven weeks amid tense union negotiations. Production of the 737 Max did not restart until December.

Late shipments continued to irritate airline customers. During the strike, Ortberg announced further delays for Boeing’s highly anticipated but yet-to-be-certified 777X jet.

The CEO also said Boeing would lay off 10% of its 170,000 employees.

Boeing’s biggest rival, Airbushas seen its stock rise 14% over the past year.

The Story Continues