Boeing has revealed its plans to develop a new single-aisle aircraft to replace the B737 MAX, after a meeting between chief executive Kelly Ortberg and Rolls-Royce Holdings to discuss engine options and flight deck designs.
The company focuses on delivering a 6,000-aircraft backlog, certifying B737-7, B737-10 and B777-9 models, while planning a next-generation jet for post-2035 deployment.
B737 MAX faced grounding from March 2019 to late 2020 after Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashes in 2018 and 2019, caused by faulty MCAS software, killing 346 people.
Investigations revealed engineering flaws, reliance on a single sensor and inadequate FAA oversight, with a 2024 Alaska Airlines B737-9 door plug blow-out prompting a partial grounding.
Sixty-nine airlines operate B737-8s, with United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Ryanair as top users, while 11 airlines, led by United with over 100 units, operate B737-9s.
Boeing shared “Our teams evaluate the market, advance key technologies and improve financial performance to be ready when the time is right to move forward with a new product.”
Related posts:
‘Unnecessary and burdensome’ – USA to drop its EU-261 equivalent passenger compensation rules
Finnair plans to order 30 narrowbody aircraft by end of 2025
Iberia Express adds 30,000 winter seats and 116 flights in Canary Islands after Ryanair cuts
United Airlines adds flights to 15 cities in anticipation of collapse of Spirit
