This archive report was first published on 17 December 2019.
Boeing's 737 Max production line has been idle since March 2019, following two devastating crashes that killed a total of 345 people.
The manufacturer had expected the ban on the 737 Max to be lifted by the end of 2019, but the grounding has continued longer than anticipated.
As a result, Boeing has decided to prioritize the delivery of stored aircraft and temporarily suspend production on the 737 program, starting from January 2020.
According to Boeing, the halt in manufacturing is temporary, and production will resume once the fleet is allowed back in the skies by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Despite the suspension, Boeing has assured its employees that they will not be laid off. Instead, those attached to the 737 Max production line will be moved to other sections.
Boeing has continued to receive production orders for the fleet and has accumulated approximately 400 stored aircraft.
The 737 Max grounding has had a significant impact on both Boeing and airlines, resulting in massive losses.
The crashes, which occurred in October 2018 and March 2019, involved Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines, respectively, and were attributed to a new safety feature, Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS).
Boeing's decision to suspend production is a significant development in the ongoing saga of the 737 Max grounding.
