Boeing has won approval from US regulators to raise production of its 737 Max jets to 47 aircraft a month, a sign of progress for the planemaker after years of safety, quality and delivery problems.
The Federal Aviation Administration accepted Boeing’s request after the company improved its manufacturing processes, according to chief executive Kelly Ortberg. Boeing had been limited by the FAA after a series of setbacks, including the Alaska Airlines incident in 2024 when a cabin door panel blew out in flight.
Ortberg said Boeing now aims to move quickly to 52 aircraft a month and later to 63, if regulators agree.
“Now we are working to meet the 47 aircraft a month. It will still take us some months to stabilise the processes, but we continue moving forward,” said Kelly Ortberg, chief executive of Boeing.
The production increase matters because Boeing needs to deliver more aircraft to improve cash flow and reduce the debt it built up during the crisis that hit the company after two 737 crashes. The new target also reflects a broader effort by the manufacturer to restore confidence in its industrial performance.
Before 2024, Boeing had no formal limit on 737 Max output. The FAA imposed restrictions after finding weaknesses in the company’s controls and production systems, and the cap has remained one of the clearest signs of the extra scrutiny Boeing faces.
For airlines, the higher rate could eventually help ease aircraft shortages, although any wider benefit will depend on Boeing’s ability to keep production stable and secure further regulatory approval. The company is also waiting for certification of the Max 7 and Max 10 variants, which Ortberg said he expects in the coming months.
Boeing’s recovery has become a central issue for the aviation industry because the 737 Max is its most important commercial aircraft programme. Deliveries have been disrupted repeatedly in recent years, affecting airline fleets, schedules and planning across global markets.
The 47-jet monthly rate is still below Boeing’s longer-term ambitions, but it marks another step away from the crisis phase that followed the Alaska Airlines incident and the wider fallout from the 737 Max safety record.
Ortberg said the company wants to build on the approval once production is steady, but the next increases depend on how Boeing performs under continued FAA oversight.
