Boeing Delivers About Half As Many Jets Amid Ongoing 737 MAX Turmoil
With the 737 MAX still grounded worldwide, Boeing saw a sharp drop in deliveries last month compared to May 2018.
According to data on the company’s website, Boeing delivered just 30 planes overall last month, compared to 68 in the same period last year. Boeing's 737s, which are largely recognized as the most popular passenger jet in the world, accounted for just eight of jetmaker's deliveries last month, versus 47 in May 2018.
New 737 MAXes are still rolling off the production line, but since airlines are unable to use them in revenue service, the finished planes are being stored near Boeing's assembly line facilities Washington. All of the 737s delivered last month were not MAXes, but rather NG variants.
MAX jets were grounded by regulators around the world earlier this year after two accidents involving the plane killed 346 people. Boeing has promised a fix to flight control software that is suspected of causing both crashes, but global regulators have yet to reach a consensus on when or exactly how to reintroduce the jet into service.
During American Airline’s annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday, Doug Parker, the company’s chief executive, said that he expects the plane will be cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration to come back into service sometime in August, but it will remain off the airline’s schedule until at least September because of the crew’s bidding schedule.
