Boeing says it has begun work on Charleston expansion to boost 787 production

Nov 7 (Reuters) - Boeing BA.N has begun work on the expansion of its North Charleston, South Carolina site to boost production of its 787 twin-aisle jet, the planemaker said on Friday, about a year after it first announced the plan.

The planemaker will be able to raise monthly output of its 787 widebody aircraft to 10 a month in 2026, from about seven currently, through the expansion.

With booming international travel, demand for widebody planes is accelerating sharply as airlines renew capacity. Boeing has an order backlog of nearly 1,000 for the 787.

Boeing's $1 billion investment to double its manufacturing footprint at its North Charleston facility comes amid pressure from European rival Airbus AIR.PA, which has announced plans to raise output of its competing A350 to 12 a month by 2028.