washington business
Of Note
Dick ’ s Drive-In President Speaks at U . S . Chamber Forum on Child Care
Jasmine Donovan , president and CFO of Seattle-based Dick ’ s Drive-In Restaurants , was a featured speaker in November at a forum in Washington , D . C ., sponsored by the U . S . Chamber of Commerce Foundation called “ Employer Roadmap : Childcare Solutions for Working Parents .”
“ Flexibility is key , and listen to your workforce ,” Donovan said . “ They ’ ll know what will be useful to them .”
Dick ’ s Drive-In Restaurants offers a generous scholarship and child care stipend for its workers , which the U . S . Chamber of Commerce Foundation featured in a recent video .
Donovan was joined in the nation ’ s capital by AWB Board member Nicole Sohn of Journey Discovery Center in Spokane and AWB Government Affairs Director Amy Anderson , who is co-chair of the Washington State Child Care Collaborative Task Force .
Final 747 Produced as Boeing Retires the ‘ Queen of the Skies ’
Spokane International Airport Breaks Ground on Major Expansion Project
Community leaders in Spokane broke ground in October on the biggest expansion project in the history of the Spokane International Airport .
The project will invest $ 150 million to expand the terminal and renovate the facility , expanding it by 144,000 square feet , adding three new gates and six airline ticket counters , and making upgrades to existing gates .
“ As the Spokane region continues to grow , the need to have a terminal facility to handle increasing demand is paramount ,” said Nancy Vorhees , chair of the Spokane Airport Board .
The airport saw more than 2.5 million passengers in 2021 . That ’ s expected to increase to 6.2 million passengers by 2030 .
Airlines Announce Major Orders for 787 and 737 MAX
In December Boeing marked a milestone , as the final 747 jumbo jet rolled off the assembly lines in Everett . The 747 , known as the “ Queen of the Skies ,” was the first jumbo jet ever produced , kicking off an aerospace revolution 50 years ago .
“ The jet transformed an industry , bringing luxurious amenities and lengthy nonstop flights to the masses — all in a design that was both enormous and elegant ,” NPR reported . Boeing has produced 1,574 of the airplanes since manufacturing began in 1967 .
The plane was so big that Boeing had to build a new 200 million cubic-foot assembly plant in Everett to build it .
In recent years the aviation industry came to focus on fuel efficiency and away from large hub-based flights . Boeing replaced the 747 with other wide-body jets such as the 767 , 777 , 787 and 777x .
Alaska Airlines in October announced the biggest Boeing aircraft order in its 90-year history , saying it will add 52 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for delivery between 2024 and 2027 . That will expand the airline ’ s 737 MAX fleet from 94 to 146 . Alaska also secured rights to 105 more planes through 2030 .
“ We ’ re proud of the strong financial foundation that uniquely positions Alaska to make this commitment to our future , and of the fantastic partnership we share with our hometown aircraft manufacturer at Boeing ,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said .
By 2030 , Alaska could operate more than 250 new aircraft from the 737 MAX series .
In December , United Airlines announced another major order , saying it plans to buy 100 Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplanes with an option for 100 more — the largest Dreamliner order in the company ’ s history .
United is also purchasing 100 737 MAX jets , exercising 44 existing options and placing 56 new orders .
16 association of washington business