Published on: Saturday, April 24, 2021
By: AFP
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A Boeing 737 MAX airliner with Southwest Airlines markings is pictured on the ramp at Renton Airport adjacent to the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington.
NEW YORK: US regulators said they continue to work with Boeing to assess an electrical problem that has grounded more than a hundred 737 MAX planes, as airlines expressed hope for a speedy resolution.
The problem, which surfaced during Boeing’s manufacturing process, has so far not significantly affected airlines given the still-lackluster travel volume during Covid-19, but demand is expected to pick up significantly this summer.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) described the problem as “an electrical bonding and grounding issue,” according to an agency notice to civil aviation authorities.
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The top three U.S. 737 Max operators - Southwest Airlines , American Airlines and United Airlines - said they had removed more than 60 jets from service following the notice from Boeing.
The issue affects about 90 planes globally, sources briefed on the matter said.
The chief operating officer of American Airlines, which said the issue affected 17 of its most recently delivered 737 Max aircraft, told employees that Boeing has traced the issue to a production change made in the installation process. (This) occurred after our last aircraft was delivered before the fleet grounding in March 2019, David Seymour said in the memo.