Exclusively – Boeing resumes production of 737 MAX aircraft a month after the strike ends, according to sources told Reuters

Written by Dan Catchpole and Alison Lambert

SEATTLE — Boeing (NYSE:) resumed production of its best-selling 737 MAX plane last week, about a month after a seven-week strike by 33,000 workers at the plant ended, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Getting the 737 MAX production line moving again is essential to the debt-laden planemaker’s recovery, and Boeing has about 4,200 orders for the plane from airlines eager to meet growing global demand for air travel.

One source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said production resumed on Friday. Boeing declined to comment.

The resumption of production was not reported previously.

FAA Chief Mike Whitaker told Reuters on Thursday that Boeing has not yet resumed 737 MAX production but plans to do so later this month.

The company’s plans to increase 737 MAX production to a targeted 56 aircraft per month have been stalled by a series of setbacks including two fatal accidents, the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, production safety concerns and increased regulatory scrutiny, along with recent actions. He hits.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) limited production to 38 737 MAX aircraft per month in January after a door panel lost four key bolts from an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 during a flight that month, exposing serious safety issues at Boeing.

Whitaker declined last week to say when he believes the FAA will restore Boeing’s ability to produce more than 38 planes a month, but he said he would be surprised if it took less than several months before the company approached the 38-plane limit.

Jefferies analysts expect Boeing to produce an average of 29 737 MAX planes per month in 2025, they said in a note to clients on Sunday.