WASHINGTON: Boeing Co is considering whether to cut or halt production of its grounded 737 MAX after the Federal Aviation Administration said last week it would not approve the plane's return to service before 2020, a person briefed on the matter said on Sunday.
Boeing said in a statement Sunday the company"will continue to assess production decisions based on the timing and conditions of return to service, which will be based on regulatory approvals and may vary by jurisdiction." The best-selling Boeing plane has been grounded since March after two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 people.On Thursday, Boeing abandoned its goal of winning approval this month to unground the 737 MAX after Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg met with FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. Dickson said on Wednesday he would not clear the plane to fly before 2020 and disclosed the agency has an ongoing investigation into 737 production issues in Renton, Washington.
Dickson told Muilenburg, according to an email sent to lawmakers by the FAA, that"Boeing’s focus should be on the quality and timeliness of data submittals for FAA review. He made clear that FAA’s certification requirements must be 100per cent complete before return to service."