Boeing can hike 737 MAX production to 42 planes per month, FAA says

By David Shepardson and Dan Catchpole

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Boeing could increase 737 MAX production to 42 planes per month after the Federal Aviation Administration lifted a 38-plane-a-month limit that has been in place since January 2024, the agency and the planemaker said on Friday.

The FAA implemented an unprecedented production cap shortly after a 2024 mid-air emergency involving the new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 missing four key bolts.

The announcement was an important milestone for the US aircraft manufacturer, which was plunged into a security crisis following the mid-air incident.

The FAA said Friday that safety inspectors “conducted extensive inspections of Boeing’s production lines to ensure that this small production rate increase was done safely.”

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford called Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg on Friday to confirm that the plane maker could increase that rate to 42 aircraft.

Boeing plans to quickly start producing 42 planes per month.

Boeing said it “appreciates the work of our team, our suppliers, and the FAA to ensure we are ready to ramp up production while keeping safety and quality at the forefront.”

(Reporting by David Shepardson;)