Boeing could suspend 737 Max production

Boeing’s board is considering halting the production of the controversial 737 Max model as the aircraft could face another round of delays before regulators judge it safe to fly again.

A scheduled end-of-year board meeting began in Chicago on Sunday and was set to continue on Monday.

A person briefed on the matter told Reuters a temporary shutdown was more likely than another cut in production.

The Max has been grounded since March after a second deadly crash that killed 346 people.

The plane will not return to service before 2020, triggering concerns among the company’s executives. Last week, FAA Administrator Steve Dickson pushed out the expected date for the return to flight status for the MAX again.

Privately, officials identified mid-February as the new target for FAA clearance, assuming no further slippage in the expected schedule.

The US Federal Aviation Administration and regulators from Europe to China had raised fresh questions about the manufacturer's proposed fixes for the software that had malfunctioned, leading to the two deadly crashes.

The Max was produced at Boeing’s Renton plant in Washington and the 12,000 people employed there could be redeployed elsewhere if production was stopped.

“We continue to work closely with the FAA and global regulators towards certification and the safe return to service of the Max,” the company said.

“We will continue to assess production decisions based on the timing and conditions of return to service, which will be based on regulatory approvals and may vary by jurisdiction.”