By Skies Magazine | January 22, 2020 Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 30 seconds.
On Jan. 21, Boeing issued another update on the 737 Max, stating it now does not expect the aircraft to return to service until mid-2020.
“This updated estimate is informed by our experience to date with the certification process,” said Boeing, which is working with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other global regulators to get the plane back into the air.
The proposed mid-2020 date is several months later than the January return the Chicago-based OEM anticipated in a statement published last November.
In December, Boeing announced it would be halting Max production until further notice, sending shockwaves through its supplier community.
The company’s stock fell hard after the news broke on Jan. 21, dropping more than five per cent before trading was halted entirely.
“Returning the Max safely to service is our number one priority, and we are confident that will happen,” reads Boeing’s statement. “We acknowledge and regret the continued difficulties that the grounding of the 737 Max has presented to our customers, our regulators, our suppliers and the flying public.”
More information will be provided when Boeing releases its quarterly financial statement next week.
Three Canadian airlines operate 737 Max aircraft and have had to deal with schedule changes and flight cancellations due to the aircraft’s grounding.
WestJet issued a statement later on Jan. 21 to advise customers that its Max fleet has now been removed from the flying schedule until June 24.
WestJet CEO Ed Sims said, “We thank our guests for their patience and our WestJetters for their commitment to keeping our airline moving safely and on time as we continue to adjust our schedule … We remain confident in the regulatory process undertaken by the Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada to ensure the safe return of the aircraft.”
The company also said it has been able to complete 98 per cent of its scheduled departures even as its 13 Max aircraft remain grounded.
On Jan. 22, Air Canada chimed in, revealing it has removed its fleet of 24 aircraft from the operating schedule until June 30.
“Final decisions on returning the 737 Max to service will be based on Air Canada’s safety assessment following the lifting of government safety notices and requisite approvals by the FAA and Transport Canada,” said Canada’s largest airline.
Sunwing Airlines – the third Canadian Max operator – did not respond to Skies when approached for comment.
Meanwhile, south of the border, U.S. President Donald Trump had some harsh words for Boeing after the news broke.
“Very disappointing company,” Trump said in an interview with CNBC. “This is one of the greatest companies of the world, let’s say, as of a year ago and all of a sudden things happened.”
Citing sources familiar with the situation, CNBC reported that Boeing has been negotiating for a bank loan of US$10 billion or more, as the costs related to the Max fiasco continue to rise.
