Boeing is increasing production of its 737 narrowbody jets after consulting with U.S. aviation regulators, the company said, signaling confidence in its manufacturing quality controls, Reuters reported.
The company aims to raise 737 production to 47 jets per month in 2026, following the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to lift a cap on output and a recent industrial recovery. Boeing is also preparing its Everett, Washington, facility to host a new 737 MAX assembly line, where it will initially build multiple variants while validating processes ahead of the ramp-up.
Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg said Boeing has largely completed certification flight tests for the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10, the smallest and largest variants of the single-aisle family. Certifying those two models along with the new widebody 777-9 has taken several years longer than expected and been a significant drag on Boeing’s earnings.
“The one area I guess I’d highlight where I haven’t met my goals was getting the certifications complete on the new commercial airplanes sooner,” Ortberg said.
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He added that he is “pretty confident that we’re not going to see any hiccups in the remaining phase of flight testing” for certifying the new 737 MAX engine anti-ice system. The system had previously been a hurdle for regulatory approval of the MAX 7 and MAX 10.
Dreamliner production
Production of the 787 Dreamliner has returned to eight aircraft per month after dipping earlier this year due to delays with engines from GE Aerospace. Ortberg noted that certification problems with new premium seats have slowed deliveries of completed 787s. Boeing still hopes to raise 787 output to 10 per month later this year, provided engine deliveries can keep pace, he said.
The production increases come as Boeing works to stabilize its factories and rebuild trust with regulators after a series of quality lapses. The company has been under heightened FAA oversight since a January 2024 in-flight door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9.
Ortberg, who took over as Boeing CEO in August 2024, has made stabilizing production and clearing certification bottlenecks his top priorities. The company has yet to set a timeline for first delivery of the MAX 7 and MAX 10, but completion of flight testing removes a key obstacle.
