Boeing's Comeback Ride: The Turbulent History of the 737 MAX
The Boeing 737 MAX, a significant factor in the company's recent slump, is now at the center of its comeback. With over 4,363 unfilled orders for all Boeing aircraft, the 737 MAX is the company's most ordered model.
The passenger plane's evolution began on August 30, 2011, when Boeing presented the 737 MAX. Over the years, several key dates marked its development and deployment. In 2017, US regulators certified the 737 MAX 8, which took its first commercial flight weeks later.
However, in 2018, a 737 MAX 8 operated by Lion Air crashed shortly after taking off from Jakarta, Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. This was followed by another crash on March 10, 2019, when an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crashed about six minutes after liftoff, killing all 157 people on board.
Boeing suspended deliveries of the 737 MAX after global aviation regulators grounded the jet. The company acknowledged that flaws with a software program called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) played a role in the crashes. Boeing announced the suspension of 737 MAX production beginning in January 2020.
The 737 MAX finally resumed production at low volumes on May 27, 2020, and received clearance from the FAA to resume service on November 18, 2020. European officials authorized the 737 MAX to resume service on January 27, 2021. However, Chinese officials did not clear the jets back into service until January 2023.
More recently, Boeing has faced another crisis with a 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines making an emergency landing after a fuselage panel blew out mid-flight on January 5, 2024. An FAA audit gave Boeing 90 days to devise a plan to significantly upgrade its quality control processes.