The US Federal Aviation Administration certified Boeing’s 737 Max 7 on Monday after years of delays, boosting the beleaguered aerospace firm’s push to restore its once-sterling reputation.
The certification — and several more Boeing is targeting this year — are crucial in getting the company back to profitability, after two fatal crashes months apart in 2018 helped European rival Airbus pull ahead in global plane deliveries.
Boeing’s CEO Kelly Ortberg, who took over in 2024, has helped mend relationships with regulators, and the FAA has since lifted some production caps: “They really are getting that thing turned around,” Ryanair’s CEO told investors earlier this year. Still, Airbus’ best-selling A320 remains a “generation ahead of the 737 in design terms,” the Financial Times wrote.
