July 22, 2024 – Boeing’s Chief Operating Officer, Stephanie Pope, has announced that the company expects to increase production of its 737 MAX aircraft in the latter half of this year. This comes after a series of incidents that have highlighted potential quality and safety issues with Boeing aircraft.
Previously, a cockpit panel from a 737 MAX 9 aircraft fell off mid-flight, prompting a comprehensive review of Boeing’s production processes by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the suspension of the expansion of 737 MAX production.
These events exposed flaws in the quality and safety of Boeing aircraft, leading to the resignation of the company’s chairman, CEO, and commercial division head, and drawing criticism from regulatory bodies, the aviation industry, and the public.
Pope stated that the company is undergoing a “transformational change” based on feedback from customers, regulators, and employees. She noted significant improvements in the operations of the 737 factory and expressed confidence that MAX production will be restored to 38 aircraft per month by the end of 2024.
According to data released by Boeing, the company received a total of 156 orders in the first half of this year, a 70% decrease compared to the same period last year. In June, Boeing sold only 14 aircraft, a significant drop from the 304 sold in June of the previous year. Of these 14 aircraft, only 3 were 737 MAX civil passenger planes.
