Aircraft maker Boeing has announced the temporary suspension of the manufacturing of its 737 MAX series aircraft due to delays in FAA re-certification.
The entire 737 MAX fleet remains grounded worldwide after two deadly crashes that killed over 300 people.
Boeing had hoped that the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) would certify the aircraft’s airworthiness by the end of 2019, but it looks like the agency won’t rule on the aircraft’s fate until some time in 2020. Consequently, Boeing will stop making 737 MAX in January, and production will remain halted for a yet-to-be-defined period.
The move is bound to create further problems for the already embattled Boeing firm, in terms of possible worker lay-offs, supply issues, etc.