Boeing is confronted with a new setback as the return of 737 MAX jet deliveries to China encounters a delay following a mid-air panel blowout incident on an Alaska Airlines MAX 9 earlier this month. According to a Sunday report from the Wall Street Journal, China Southern Airlines, initially prepared to receive MAX planes in January, has revised its plans to include additional safety inspections for the aircraft. The newspaper highlighted that China’s aviation regulator has directed all domestic airlines to carry out similar inspections on their respective MAX fleets in response to this development.
The WSJ cited people familiar with the matter. A Boeing spokesman declined to comment. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff from a California airport on Friday. Photos shared by passengers show a gaping hole in the fuselage close to where an exit door should be located. The aircraft was headed for Portland International Airport in Oregon. No one was injured in the crash, and authorities say the pilots followed standard procedure when they lost cabin pressure.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing. The FAA is still examining the plane. Boeing has said it will update the software in its MAX aircraft, which had been a focus of the probe into the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 on board. The company also is trying to get the final two MAX planes, the MAX 7 and MAX 10, certified to enter service.
In the case of China, the latest developments underscore how important it is for Boeing to restore trust and confidence with Chinese regulators and customers. The firm is poised to become the world’s biggest exporter of commercial aircraft. After a thaw in relations began with a high-profile meeting between President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, it seeks to regain momentum in the Chinese market.
Boeing’s 737 MAX jets were grounded worldwide in 2019 following two fatal crashes that raised questions about how the plane was approved for use and about regulatory oversight. Multiple probes into the incidents have heaped blame on Boeing and the FAA for inadequate oversight.
Despite the incident, the company has made progress in resuming production of its best-selling aircraft. Boeing recently delivered a 787 Dreamliner to a Chinese airline and handed over eight 777 freighters to a customer through November. That was seen as a step toward thawing the global MAX delivery freeze.
But a return of China’s approval for MAX deliveries could be further delayed by the Alaska Airlines incident if Beijing decides that further inspections are required. The WSJ said it is also awaiting clarity from the investigations into the Ethiopian Airlines accident before making further substantive moves. China’s top airlines do not have the MAX 9 model in their fleet, but they operate dozens of MAX 8 jets, which lack the panel involved in the Alaska Airlines incident. In addition, as Reuters previously reported, Beijing wants Boeing to prioritize safety enhancements and transparent communication with its Chinese partners during the MAX crisis.
