Boeing's 737 Max 10 finally wins FAA approval after six years of delays
The largest member of the Max family, seating up to 230 passengers, was cleared on Tuesday. United, American, Delta and Alaska are among the customers, though it may take months before passengers fly on it.
The US Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday certified the Boeing 737 Max 10, the last and largest model in the manufacturer's best-selling jet family to receive government approval. The decision came weeks after officials reviewed a navigation-system glitch and concluded it was not a flight-safety issue.
The Max 10, which can seat up to 230 people, was originally due to enter service in 2020. Its certification was held up by the heightened scrutiny that followed the two Max crashes in 2018 and 2019, as well as by required engineering changes, including to the engines' anti-icing system. The smaller Max 7 was approved in August.
Customers include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, and Boeing says the Max 10 makes up about 30% of its Max order backlog. Airlines can start flying passengers soon after delivery, but fitting new aircraft into schedules usually takes months. United's chief executive said earlier this year that the airline had waited so long that the lie-flat seats it had bought for the plane were sitting in a warehouse.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said safety remains paramount but argued that US certification must become faster to compete with Europe and China. Boeing, which opened a fourth 737 Max production line in Everett, Washington, in July, is relying on higher deliveries to drive its recovery.