Wichita likely ‘most exposed’ metro in U.S. by Boeing 737 Max crisis, economists say

Wichita’s economy is likely the “most exposed” in the United States by the Boeing 737 Max grounding, economists say. And it could be years before the city fully recovers.

A report by Wells Fargo Securities Economics Group released last week concluded that Boeing’s strong order backlog and the tight labor market for skilled aviation workers is likely to limit layoffs across the county to a handful of areas.

Unfortunately for Wichita, it’s the area that will be hit the hardest.

“It’s bad news for Wichita,” said Mark Vitner, senior economist for Wells Fargo Securities and co-author of the report. “It’s a significant impact and hopefully it’s a temporary one.”

(Read more: Local News |)