FAA restores Boeing's ability to certify 737 Max and Dreamliner for flight, six-year milestone after crashes

The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it is restoring Boeing’s authority to issue airworthiness certificates for the 737 Max and the 787 Dreamliner, effectively returning final safety inspections to the company for flight more than six years after two crashes that killed 346 people. The decision, effective Monday, follows a comprehensive review of Boeing’s ongoing production quality and aims to speed deliveries while maintaining regulatory scrutiny.

Going forward, Boeing and FAA inspectors will take turns performing the safety checks required before aircraft are cleared for delivery and to fly. The FAA said the rotating arrangement will free up more of its own inspectors to conduct rigorous quality checks on the production line at Boeing plants, while ensuring that planes continue to meet safety standards.

The move ends a period in which regulators retained tight control over the 737 Max approvals since 2019, after two fatal MAX crashes were traced to a new flight-control software system Boeing developed for the jet. Regulators also imposed a halt to Boeing self-certifying the Dreamliner in 2022, citing ongoing production quality concerns. The FAA said the new arrangement is a measured step that keeps safety front and center while allowing Boeing to contribute directly to final checks.

The FAA’s decision comes as Boeing reports renewed demand for its widest-selling airplanes. Stock market reaction was positive, with Boeing’s shares rising roughly 4% in afternoon trading after the announcement. Separately, Turkish Airlines disclosed plans to buy 75 Dreamliners and expressed interest in purchasing as many as 150 additional 737 Max jets in the future, potentially marking the largest single order for Boeing’s broadline lineup if finalized. In a separate deal, Norwegian Group — which operates Norwegian Air Shuttle and Widerøe — placed an order for 30 737 Max 8s.

Still, some critics have questioned how deeply Boeing has reformed its culture and processes to ensure passenger-safety commitments. The FAA has also been pursuing enforcement steps related to safety violations identified between September 2023 and February 2024, including an incident in which a panel door blew out on a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight. The agency has proposed a $3.1 million fine in connection with that and other issues.

The Alaska incident helped prompt a temporary cap on production, with the FAA limiting Boeing to 38 Max jets per month. Production rates fell well below that ceiling for much of last year as Boeing faced investigations and a machinists’ strike that idled factories for about eight weeks. Boeing said in July that it had reached the monthly cap in the second quarter and would seek FAA permission to raise production, a process that would require extensive on-site planning and review by FAA safety inspectors with Boeing to ensure any increase could be achieved safely.

The new oversight arrangement aligns with the broader regulatory and industry context as Boeing seeks to rebuild trust and sustain momentum in a market that has shown renewed interest from international carriers. While officials emphasize safety as the guiding priority, analysts note that the resumed certification process could accelerate deliveries and support a recovery in Boeing’s industrial activity, even as the company continues to address past quality concerns and labor and supply-chain headwinds.