Seattle, December 10 – Reuters reported, citing an informed source, that Boeing resumed production of its best-selling 737 MAX aircraft last Friday, about a month after the end of a seven-week strike involving 33,000 factory workers, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
The resumption of the 737 MAX production line is vital for Boeing’s financial recovery, as the company is burdened with debt. Boeing currently has approximately 4,200 orders from airlines aiming to meet the growing global demand for air travel.
A third source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media, confirmed to Reuters that production resumed on Friday. Boeing did not respond to requests for comment on the matter. The restart of production had not been previously reported.
In remarks to Reuters on Thursday, Michael Whitaker, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said that Boeing had not yet resumed production of the 737 MAX but planned to do so later this month.
The company’s plan to ramp up 737 MAX production to 56 aircraft per month has faced several hurdles, including two fatal crashes involving the same model, the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, production safety concerns, increased regulatory scrutiny, and the recent strike. The FAA had imposed a cap on production at 38 aircraft per month since January after an incident where a door panel detached from an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 due to missing bolts, revealing significant safety issues at Boeing.
Whitaker stated last week that he did not expect the FAA to lift the production restrictions soon, noting it could take several months before Boeing can return to a production rate of 38 aircraft per month. Meanwhile, Jefferies analysts predicted that Boeing would produce an average of 29 737 MAX aircraft per month in 2025, according to a report they sent to clients last Sunday.
