Boeing cancels call to discuss 737 MAX issues
Boeing Co. canceled a Tuesday conference call with airlines to discuss issues swirling around its newest plane, which has come under close scrutiny after a deadly crash in Indonesia.
The call would have included American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines, all of which have Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in their fleets.
The audience for the call included technical experts at airlines that fly the MAX. The first item on the agenda was to review differences in flight control systems between the MAX and its predecessor 737 model, called the NG, or next generation, according to people briefed on plans for the call.
Pilots for U.S. airlines have complained that they were not told about a new feature in the MAX that could pitch the nose down sharply if sensors indicate that the plane is about to stall.
“Boeing has been and continues to engage with our customers. We continue to schedule meetings to share information,” said Boeing spokesman Chaz Bickers. He declined to say why Tuesday’s call was canceled.
Indonesian investigators are examining whether a new anti-stall system in the MAX played a role in the Oct. 29 crash of a Lion Air jet shortly after takeoff from Jakarta. The plane flew erratically before plunging into the Java Sea, killing all 189 people on board.
CFRA Research analyst Jim Corridore said canceling the call was “a bad look for the company at a time when it is facing increasing criticism for potential problems with sensors on the plane that could cause the aircraft to erroneously correct itself into a steep dive.” He said Boeing “needs to communicate more and better, not less.”
Through October, Boeing had delivered 241 MAX planes to airlines and taken orders for nearly 4,800.