Boeing is halting deliveries of some 737 Max models because of a manufacturing problem that does not affect the plane’s safety in the air, the company said Thursday.
The plane maker said it was informed about the issue a day earlier by Spirit Aerosystems Holdings Inc., which assembles most of the 737’s aluminum frame. The problem involves two fittings that connect the jet’s vertical tail to the rear end of its fuselage and affects a portion of 737 jets manufactured since 2019, including the Max variant.
According to the company, the problem will potentially affect a significant number of undelivered aircraft as well as those stored at Boeing. Boeing said it expects deliveries to decline in the near term as it inspects affected aircraft.
Shares fell more than 3% in late trading after closing down 0.6% on Thursday at $213.59 per share in New York. Spirit Aerosystems dropped more than 4%.
The disruption is a blow to Boeing as it was finding its footing after years of turmoil caused by the pandemic and the global grounding of the Max. Bloomberg reported last week that the planmaker was informing customers about plans to increase Max’s production rates. A few days later, Boeing reported an increase in quarterly deliveries, which overtook rival Airbus SE for the first time in nearly five years.
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