INTERNATIONAL: Boeing lay-offs consequence of current climate

SEATTLE, WA: Boeing's commercial airplane unit's PR team is working

to restore confidence in flying, handling hundreds of calls about the

imminent lay-off of up to 30,000 employees.

The company announced the lay-offs last week, blaming anticipated

declines in the travel market.

Boeing's corporate headquarters, which includes the corporate PR team,

finalised its move from Seattle to Chicago last month. Each of Boeing's

three major business units was given greater autonomy, with PR teams

expected to take greater responsibility.

The company has also been keen to reassure its Seattle and Puget Sound

workforces that even though the headquarters is now in Chicago, it is

still an active part of the Pacific north-west community.

But the region is likely to be severely hurt by the lay-offs. Out of

93,700 employees in the division, about 60,000 of those are based in the

Puget Sound and Seattle regions.

Analysis, p8