Boeing 737 Max Deliveries Face Delay Due to Quality Issue

Boeing Faces Potential Delays in 737 Max Deliveries

Boeing Co. is facing potential delays in the delivery of about 50 undelivered 737 Max airplanes after its supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, discovered a quality issue with the fuselages. The issue, involving two mis-drilled holes on some fuselages, was confirmed by Boeing in response to a query by Reuters. The company reassured that the safety of the aircraft is unaffected, and existing 737s can continue to operate safely.

Supplier's Role and Response

Boeing's CEO, Stan Deal, expressed gratitude to the supplier's employee who identified the non-conformance and flagged the issue to the management. The checks are focused on the potentially incorrect positioning of two holes on a window frame assembly supplied by Spirit, a condition known as "short edge margin."

Impact and Investigation

As of the latest update, the quality defect has been found in 22 fuselages out of 47 inspected, and it may also affect some 737s already in service. The issue was brought to light through a routine notification called a Notice of Escapement, in which suppliers notify Boeing of any known or suspected quality slip. This discovery follows the recent incident of a door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines jet, adding to the scrutiny facing Boeing and its 737 Max aircraft.