A drone's perspective reveals Boeing 737 MAX fuselages positioned on rail cars at a train yard in Seattle, as captured by Reuters.
Boeing resumed production of its top-selling 737 MAX jetliner last week, approximately one month after a seven-week strike by 33,000 factory workers ended, according to three sources with knowledge of the situation. Restarting the 737 MAX production line is crucial for the debt-laden planemaker's recovery, with around 4,200 orders from airlines looking to meet the rising global demand for air travel. Production resumed on Friday, as confirmed by one of the sources, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak with the media. Boeing declined to comment on the matter. This production restart had not been previously disclosed.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief, Mike Whitaker, informed Reuters on Thursday that Boeing had not yet resumed 737 MAX production but intended to do so later this month. The company's efforts to boost 737 MAX production to a target of 56 airplanes per month have been hindered by various challenges, including two fatal crashes, the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, production safety concerns, heightened regulatory scrutiny, and the recent strike.
In January, the FAA limited production to 38 737 MAX planes per month after a door panel missing four critical bolts detached from an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 during a flight, highlighting significant safety concerns at Boeing. Whitaker recently declined to specify when the FAA might allow Boeing to exceed the 38-plane monthly limit, but suggested it would likely take several months before the company approaches that maximum. Analysts at Jefferies predict Boeing will average 29 737 MAX planes per month in 2025, according to a note to clients on Sunday.
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