Pat Shanahan, CEO of Spirit AeroSystems, secured the deal between Boeing and Airbus through personal negotiations with the senior leadership of both companies. Shanahan's experience as a former top Boeing executive and his connections within the industry played a significant role in successfully engineering the complex three-way agreement.
Boeing agreed to purchase Spirit AeroSystems for $37.25 per share in an all-stock deal, valuing the company at $4.7 billion. Boeing will also assume about $3.5 billion of Spirit's debt as part of the transaction.
Boeing responded to the fuselage panel blowout incident by acknowledging its accountability for the accident and implementing a comprehensive plan to strengthen quality and safety measures. This includes new inspections of door plug assembly, fully documenting when the plug is removed, additional inspections into the supply chain, and an independent assessment. Boeing's CEO, Dave Calhoun, emphasized the importance of transparency and taking significant actions to ensure such events never happen again.