FAA Grants Final Approval to Boeing 737 Max 10 After Years of Delays

Federal Aviation Administration officials on Tuesday granted final certification to Boeing's 737 Max 10, the largest variant in the 737 Max family, ending years of delay. The approval follows a recent review of a navigation‑system glitch that regulators said did not affect flight safety. The Max 10 can seat up to 230 passengers and was originally slated to enter service in 2020. Certification was postponed after intensified scrutiny following the 2018 and 2019 crashes of earlier Max models and after other safety concerns, including required changes to the engines' anti‑icing system. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency's decision comes after a thorough design and safety review and that Boeing will continue to be held to the highest standards. Boeing’s commercial airplane chief Stephanie Pope said the clearance opens the way to deliver a jet that will set a new commercial‑aviation standard. United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are listed as Max 10 customers, and the model now represents about 30 % of Boeing’s Max backlog. United CEO Scott Kirby told CNBC in August that the airline had been waiting so long that lie‑flat seats intended for the aircraft are now stored in a warehouse. Alaska Airlines announced last month it will install lie‑flat seats on some of its Max 10s to boost premium offerings. The FAA had already cleared the smaller Max 7 in early August, and Boeing opened a fourth 737 Max production line in Everett, Washington, in July as it ramps up output of Max jets and 787 Dreamliners to aid its financial recovery. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will discuss the certification on CNBC at 4:40 p.m. ET.

Context

The FAA’s certification process is the final safety gate before airlines can place new aircraft into service. The 737 Max series was grounded worldwide after the 2018 and 2019 crashes, making the Max 10 approval a key milestone for Boeing’s comeback.