This archive report was first published on 22 October 2019.
October 22, 2019
Boeing's commercial airplanes chief, Kevin McAllister, is leaving the company, marking the most senior departure yet in the wake of the 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people.
McAllister had been at the center of Boeing's efforts to fix the automated system that contributed to the crashes and return the plane to service. However, he faced scrutiny within the company for his handling of customer relationships and management of the commercial division, which is Boeing's largest business.
Stanley A. Deal, the head of global services for Boeing, will replace McAllister. His departure adds a new element of volatility to the biggest crisis in Boeing's 103-year history.
The Max jets have been grounded since March, costing Boeing at least $8 billion and disrupting the global aviation industry.
Boeing's chief executive, Dennis A. Muilenburg, praised McAllister's service, saying, 'We're grateful to Kevin for his dedicated and tireless service to Boeing, its customers and its communities during a challenging time, and for his commitment to support this transition.'
However, the news comes days after messages became public that suggested a pilot working on the Max had voiced concerns about the automated system in 2016, months before the Federal Aviation Administration certified the plane.
Those messages undermined Boeing's long-held position that it had no indication that the Max was unsafe until the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia last October and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March.
Since the Max's grounding, airlines have canceled thousands of flights and lost hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
Boeing is facing multiple investigations and lawsuits related to the crashes, including a criminal investigation being led by the Department of Justice.
