Editing Boeing 717 (section)

=== Assembly line and end of production ===
In 2001, Boeing began implementing a moving assembly line for production of the 717 and 737.<ref>[http://www.boeing.com/assets/pdf/companyoffices/financial/finreports/annual/01annualreport/BOEING2001AR_all.pdf Boeing 2001 Annual report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923193835/http://www.boeing.com/assets/pdf/companyoffices/financial/finreports/annual/01annualreport/BOEING2001AR_all.pdf |date=September 23, 2015 }}</ref> The moving line greatly reduced production time, which led to lower production costs.<ref name="717_innovations">[http://www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2005/october/i_ca2.html "Going—but far from gone, 717 innovations live on long after production"]. Boeing Frontiers magazine, October 2005,</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 12, 2002 |title=Boeing's 717 to Hit 100th Delivery |work=Aero News Network |url=http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=bacdc4e3-ba73-425a-abe0-607eb6f2ae64 |access-date=July 9, 2015}}</ref> Following the slump in airline traffic caused by an economic downturn subsequent to the terrorist attacks on [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001]], Boeing announced a review of the type's future. After much deliberation, it was decided to continue with production. Despite the lack of orders, Boeing had confidence in the 717's fundamental suitability to the 100-seat market, and in the long-term size of that market.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boeing Committed To 717 Program And 100-Seat Market |url=http://www.boeing.com/commercial/717/pf/pf_overview.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020217030533/http://www.boeing.com/commercial/717/pf/pf_overview.html |archive-date=February 17, 2002 |access-date=July 11, 2015 |website=Boeing}}</ref> After 19 worldwide 717 sales in 2000, and just 6 in 2001, Boeing took 32 orders for the 717 in 2002, despite the severe industry downturn.<ref name="orders-deliveries" /> The 100th 717 was delivered to AirTran Airways on June 18, 2002.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Boeing Delivers 100th 717-200 Twinjet at Ceremony |date=June 18, 2002 |publisher=PR Newswire |location=Long Beach, CA |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boeing-delivers-100th-717-200-twinjet-at-ceremony-77926387.html |access-date=July 9, 2015 |author=The Boeing Company}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=June 18, 2002 |title=Boeing delivers 100th 717-200 |work=Wichita Business Journal |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2002/06/17/daily17.html |access-date=July 11, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Boeing Delivers 100th 717-200 Twinjet at Ceremony |date=June 18, 2002 |url=http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2002-06-18-Boeing-Delivers-100th-717-200-Twinjet-at-Ceremony |access-date=July 9, 2015 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref>

Increased competition from regional jets manufactured by [[Bombardier Aviation|Bombardier]] and [[Embraer]] took a heavy toll on sales during [[Early 2000s recession|the airline slump]] after 2001. [[American Airlines]] acquired TWA and initially planned to continue the 717 order. American Airlines canceled TWA's order for [[Airbus A318]]s, but eventually also canceled the Boeing 717s that had not yet been delivered.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boeing 717-231 TWA Trans World Airlines &#124; FlyRadius |url=http://www.flightrun.com/boeing-717/231-twa-trans-world-airlines |access-date=August 8, 2016 |website=www.flightrun.com}}</ref> The beginning of the end came in December 2003 when Boeing failed to reach a [[United States dollar|US$]]2.7 billion contract from [[Air Canada]], a long term DC-9 customer, who chose the [[Embraer E-Jets]] and [[Bombardier CRJ200]] over the 717.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 19, 2003 |title=Air Canada buying 90 jets from Bombardier, Embraer |work=[[CBC News]] |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/air-canada-buying-90-jets-from-bombardier-embraer-1.367681 |access-date=June 30, 2015}}</ref> On January 14, 2005, citing slow sales, Boeing announced that it planned to end production of the 717 after it had met all of its outstanding orders.<ref name="LAT20050115">{{Cite news |last=Pae |first=Peter |title=Boeing is closing an era in aviation |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |department=Business |publication-date=January 15, 2005 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jan-15-fi-boeing15-story.html |access-date=March 8, 2023}}</ref>

The 156th and final 717 rolled off the assembly line in April 2006 for AirTran Airways, which was the 717's launch customer as well as its final customer. The final two Boeing 717s were delivered to customers [[Midwest Airlines]] and AirTran Airways on May 23, 2006.<ref name="The_Boeing_717" /><ref name="last 717s">{{Cite press release |title=Boeing Delivers Final 717s; Concludes Commercial Production in California |date=May 23, 2006 |publisher=Boeing |url=http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2006-05-23-Boeing-Delivers-Final-717s-Concludes-Commercial-Production-in-California |access-date=June 30, 2015}}</ref> The 717 was the last commercial [[airplane]] produced at Boeing's [[Long Beach]] facility in [[Southern California]].<ref name="last 717s" />