The return of Boeing’s 737 Max has been delayed again. On Tuesday, the company said that it did not expect regulators to approve the jet to fly again until the middle of the year. American Airlines, United and Southwest had already taken Max flights off their schedules until June, and this new timeline will further push back when the plane will be available for commercial flights.
Boeing shares dropped sharply after CNBC first reported the news Tuesday afternoon before trading was temporarily halted.
The Max was involved in two accidents, in late 2018 and early 2019, that killed 346 people. It has been grounded worldwide since March.
Boeing has encountered repeated setbacks in its efforts to return the plane to service, as the company and regulators continue to find flaws with the Max that go beyond an automated software system known as MCAS, which contributed to both accidents. Late last year, the company discovered a potential problem with wire bundles on the plane, which were placed so close together that an electrical short could cause a catastrophic accident.
In assessing the issue, the company discovered about a dozen places in the Max where wire bundles may need to be separated, including in the electrical bay under the cockpit, according to two people familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. The company is still analyzing whether it needs to separate the wire bundles, the people said.