Boeing has suspended flight testing of its new 777X wide-body jet after identifying the failure of a part connecting the engine to the body of the aircraft, the latest in a long line of quality control issues for the troubled US aerospace giant.

Boeing has suspended flight testing of its new 777X wide-body jet after identifying the failure of a part connecting the engine to the body of the aircraft, the latest in a long line of quality control issues for the troubled US aerospace giant. "During scheduled maintenance, we identified a component that did not perform as designed," the US aerospace giant told AFP in a statement. "Our team is replacing the part and capturing any learnings from the component and will resume flight testing when ready," it added, confirming an earlier report by specialist website The Air Current. Boeing has been beset in recent years with concerns about safety and quality control, with a near-catastrophic incident on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX in January bringing renewed pressure on the company. Boeing's new chief executive Kelly Ortberg, 64, took over earlier this month on a pledge to restore trust in the embattled manufacturer, and announced he would be based in Seattle to be close to the firm's commercial airplane programs. Also read | Will astronauts Sunita Williams, Barry Wilmore be sent down a perilous path by Boeing Starliner? Trouble in the family Boeing's 777X widebody program, unveiled in November 2013, is the latest addition to its popular 777 family. The new twin-aisle aircraft is destined to be the world's largest twin-engine jet in operation. More than 500 777X aircraft have already been ordered, but have yet to enter commercial service. The part that brought about the suspension of flight testing is custom to the 777-9 model, and connects the engine to the aircraft structure, Boeing said. The other 777-9s used for testing are all currently being inspected following the incident, it added. Boeing's new aircraft will be available in three models: the 777-8, the 777-9 and the 777-8 cargo. The aircraft's entry into service was originally scheduled for 2020, but due to problems during the certification process it has now been delayed to 2025. Although the 777X has still not received the go-ahead from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing did cross an important milestone in July this year. Following a large number of test flights, it obtained permission to start testing the 777-9 with FAA representatives on board. Watch | Gravitas: Faulty Aircraft: Boeing workers spill the beans × Orders rebound Boeing named aerospace veteran Kelly Ortberg as its next CEO on the same day it reported a $1.4 billion loss for the second quarter of the year, with profits hurt by poor performance in its commercial division. But since then, the company has enjoyed some rare positive news, with new plane orders picking up in July. Boeing said it had booked 72 orders -- including 57 for its flagship 737 MAX aircraft -- in the wake of the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom. And a few days later, Boeing announced that El AL had finalized orders for up to 31 737 MAX aircraft, marking the largest purchase of airplanes in the Israeli flag carrier's 76-year history. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

More trouble for Boeing as 777X flight tests suspended after part failure

Boeing's CEO, David Calhoun, on Tuesday (June 18) faced tough questions from a US congressional panel. At the Senate hearing, Calhoun apologised to the families of the victims of the 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 and admitted that his company's culture was flawed but insisted on ongoing improvements in safety.

"Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress," said the Boeing CEO.

He also admitted to retaliation against whistleblowers and said, "I know it happens," but failed to answer&nbsp;if Boeing fired any of its employees who retaliated against whistleblowers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-whistleblower-claims-boeing-asked-damaged-or-defective-stored-parts-to-be-hidden-from-regulators-732929">New whistleblower claims Boeing asked damaged or defective stored parts to be hidden from regulators</a>

<h2>'Boeing's Broken Safety Culture' hearing</h2>

This was Calhoun's first testimony since a January incident where a 737 MAX made an emergency landing due to a fuselage panel blowing out.

The hearing, an examination of "Boeing's Broken Safety Culture," followed an April session where a Boeing engineer spoke about being punished for raising safety concerns about the 787 Dreamliner and 777 models.&nbsp;

At the hearing, the senate committee revealed additional worker complaints, including a whistleblower's warning that Boeing's use of damaged or inadequate parts could "lead to a catastrophic event".&nbsp;

Senator Richard Blumenthal, who led the committee, stressed the need for a major overhaul in Boeing's safety culture and said that the company stands "at a moment of reckoning and an opportunity to change a broken safety culture."

There "is near overwhelming evidence… that prosecution should be pursued," he said, vowing to keep up oversight of the company.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/club-q-shooter-anderson-lee-aldrich-gets-55-more-life-sentences-for-2022-lgbtq-massacre-732988">Club Q shooter Anderson Lee Aldrich gets 55 additional life sentences for 2022 LGBTQ massacre</a>

During the hearing, it was revealed that a new whistleblower, Sam Mohawk, has alleged that Boeing hid improperly stored parts from federal inspectors to avoid extra costs.&nbsp;

<h2>Aggressive questioning</h2>

Calhoun faced aggressive questioning, particularly from Senator Josh Hawley, who criticised his $33 million pay and suggested he should resign.&nbsp;

"You're the problem," Hawley told Calhoun, as reported by AFP.&nbsp;

"And I just hope to God that you don't destroy this company before it can be saved," he added.

Calhoun revealed that he was planning to step down at the end of 2024.

The hearing included emotional statements from crash victims' families, calling for criminal charges against Boeing executives, including Calhoun.

Boeing CEO Calhoun is a "mass killer," said Adnaan Stumo, who lost his sister Nadia Milleron in the Ethiopian Airlines crash.

"There needs to be criminal charges for the people at the top."

Erin Applebaum, representing the 34 affected families, urged the Department of Justice to take Calhoun's words about accountability seriously and pursue charges against Boeing's top executives.

"The US Department of Justice should take Mr. Calhoun's words to heart and move forward with criminal charges against Boeing executives — starting with the CEO himself," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Boeing's CEO, David Calhoun, on Tuesday (June 18) faced tough questions from a US congressional panel. At the Senate hearing, Calhoun apologised to the families of the victims of the 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 and admitted that his company's culture was flawed but insisted on ongoing improvements in safety.

Boeing's CEO, David Calhoun, on Tuesday (June 18) faced tough questions from a US congressional panel. At the Senate hearing, Calhoun apologised to the families of the victims of the 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 and admitted that his company's culture was flawed but insisted on ongoing improvements in safety. "Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress," said the Boeing CEO. He also admitted to retaliation against whistleblowers and said, "I know it happens," but failed to answer if Boeing fired any of its employees who retaliated against whistleblowers. Also read | New whistleblower claims Boeing asked damaged or defective stored parts to be hidden from regulators 'Boeing's Broken Safety Culture' hearing This was Calhoun's first testimony since a January incident where a 737 MAX made an emergency landing due to a fuselage panel blowing out. The hearing, an examination of "Boeing's Broken Safety Culture," followed an April session where a Boeing engineer spoke about being punished for raising safety concerns about the 787 Dreamliner and 777 models. At the hearing, the senate committee revealed additional worker complaints, including a whistleblower's warning that Boeing's use of damaged or inadequate parts could "lead to a catastrophic event". Senator Richard Blumenthal, who led the committee, stressed the need for a major overhaul in Boeing's safety culture and said that the company stands "at a moment of reckoning and an opportunity to change a broken safety culture." There "is near overwhelming evidence… that prosecution should be pursued," he said, vowing to keep up oversight of the company. Also read | Club Q shooter Anderson Lee Aldrich gets 55 additional life sentences for 2022 LGBTQ massacre During the hearing, it was revealed that a new whistleblower, Sam Mohawk, has alleged that Boeing hid improperly stored parts from federal inspectors to avoid extra costs. Aggressive questioning Calhoun faced aggressive questioning, particularly from Senator Josh Hawley, who criticised his $33 million pay and suggested he should resign. "You're the problem," Hawley told Calhoun, as reported by AFP. "And I just hope to God that you don't destroy this company before it can be saved," he added. Calhoun revealed that he was planning to step down at the end of 2024. The hearing included emotional statements from crash victims' families, calling for criminal charges against Boeing executives, including Calhoun. Boeing CEO Calhoun is a "mass killer," said Adnaan Stumo, who lost his sister Nadia Milleron in the Ethiopian Airlines crash. "There needs to be criminal charges for the people at the top." Erin Applebaum, representing the 34 affected families, urged the Department of Justice to take Calhoun's words about accountability seriously and pursue charges against Boeing's top executives. "The US Department of Justice should take Mr. Calhoun's words to heart and move forward with criminal charges against Boeing executives — starting with the CEO himself," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Boeing CEO apologises to crash victims' families, admits flawed culture in Senate hearing

Following the shutdown of one of its engines due to fire, a passenger plane landed safely at an airport in New Zealand on Monday (June 17), according to the country's fire department.

Following the shutdown of one of its engines due to fire, a passenger plane landed safely at an airport in New Zealand on Monday (June 17), according to the country's fire department. After the fire caused a detour, the Virgin Australia Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which was headed for Melbourne, Australia, touched down in the city of Invercargill, New Zealand. “Virgin Australia flight VA148 departed Queenstown Airport at 5.50 PM, bound for Melbourne. It experienced an issue just after take-off and has been diverted to Invercargill Airport. We will provide further updates as information becomes available,” Queenstown airport authorities said in a post on X. #BREAKING | Fire has been seen coming from the engine of an aircraft flying over Queentown tonight with witnesses reporting “loud bangs”. The aircraft was diverted to Invercargill Airport and has just made an emergency landing. 🔗 https://t.co/1mxdZCNhqz pic.twitter.com/mkcrJ6D8GC — nzherald (@nzherald) June 17, 2024 × In a different X post, Drawyah, a social media account that streams train and airplane simulations, stated, "Greetings from Invercargill! The mood is calm in the cabin, a tad shaken but on the ground, as fire crews inspect the plane. Can confirm it was a bird strike on the way out." Virgin Australia flight VA148 departed Queenstown Airport at 5.50pm, bound for Melbourne. It experienced an issue just after take-off and has been diverted to Invercargill Airport. We will provide further updates as information becomes available. — Queenstown Airport (ZQN) (@NZQN) June 17, 2024 × According to Lynn Crosson, shift supervisor for Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the plane touched down in Invercargill around fifty minutes after taking off from Queenstown. Fire trucks were available at Invercargill. Also read: Greek coastguard threw migrants into sea after tying their hands: Report According to Queenstown Airport spokesman Catherine Nind, the source of the engine fire and the number of people on board the aircraft were not immediately known. 👋 Greetings from Invercargill! Mood is calm in the cabin, a tad shaken but on the ground as fire crews inspect the plane. Can confirm it was a bird strike on the way out. pic.twitter.com/NBq7GnSR8a — Drawyah (@DrawyahYT) June 17, 2024 × In an email statement to CBS, Virgin Australia said that "a possible bird strike" might have been the cause of the event. With a population of 53,000, Queenstown is a popular tourist spot in the South Island of New Zealand, known for its alpine scenery, adventure tourism, and skiing. According to the country's aviation regulator's website, birds strike planes at New Zealand airports at a rate of roughly four per 10,000 aircraft movements. According to the organisation, the severity of the repercussions varies based on the location of the aircraft impact, the size of the birds, and the pilot's response. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Australia-bound Boeing 737-800 plane's engine erupts in flames with loud bangs

Ethiopian inspectors who investigated the Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737-MAX&nbsp;crash did not&nbsp;pay enough attention to aspects like crew training and emergency procedures, said US air safety experts. The crash killed nearly 160 people.&nbsp;The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), in dissenting comments included in the Ethiopian report, disagreed with at least two key findings of the investigation into the crash of a Boeing 737-MAX flight.

The crash had resulted in grounding of similar aircrafts from Boeing, an American company.

Fight 302 crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa in March 2019, killing all 157 people on board.

Ethiopia's Aircraft Investigation Bureau, had&nbsp;last Friday, released its long-delayed report. The report said that "uncommanded" inputs from Boeing's Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) were&nbsp;responsible for the crash.

The inputs, which were caused by faulty data from an underlying sensor, sent the plane's nose down repeatedly, leading to loss of control as the pilots tried to deal with several warnings in the cabin, the report said.

The NTSB, however, in its comments, said that it it found the faulty sensor may have been damaged by a bird strike soon after take-off. This assertion was ignored by Ethiopian investigators.

The Ethiopian report said that the country's inspectors didn't find evidence of in-flight damage to sensor due to physical clues like a dead bird.

The NTSB, however, said the sensor was never recovered at the crash site in spite of a partial search by both sides a week after the accident.

Boeing has previously said the MCAS was a safety feature and the issues identified after the crash of flight 302, which followed one of a similar plane in Indonesia five months earlier, have been rectified.

The NTSB also accused their Ethiopian counterparts of focusing on the contributions of the design issues to the accident at the expense of the crew's own training and reaction to the emergency that arose.

"Discussion of crew resource management and performance were still not sufficiently developed in the draft final report," the NTSB said.

In their report, the Ethiopian investigators found that the crew members were licensed and qualified for flight in accordance with the existing Ethiopian Civil Aviation Rules and Standards, but were startled by the unprecedented change of events and "confusing alerts", and blamed it all on the plane's design.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Ethiopian inspectors who investigated the Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737-MAX crash did not pay enough attention to aspects like crew training and emergency procedures, said US air safety experts.

Ethiopian inspectors who investigated the Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737-MAX crash did not pay enough attention to aspects like crew training and emergency procedures, said US air safety experts. The crash killed nearly 160 people. The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), in dissenting comments included in the Ethiopian report, disagreed with at least two key findings of the investigation into the crash of a Boeing 737-MAX flight. The crash had resulted in grounding of similar aircrafts from Boeing, an American company. Fight 302 crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa in March 2019, killing all 157 people on board. Ethiopia's Aircraft Investigation Bureau, had last Friday, released its long-delayed report. The report said that "uncommanded" inputs from Boeing's Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) were responsible for the crash. The inputs, which were caused by faulty data from an underlying sensor, sent the plane's nose down repeatedly, leading to loss of control as the pilots tried to deal with several warnings in the cabin, the report said. The NTSB, however, in its comments, said that it it found the faulty sensor may have been damaged by a bird strike soon after take-off. This assertion was ignored by Ethiopian investigators. The Ethiopian report said that the country's inspectors didn't find evidence of in-flight damage to sensor due to physical clues like a dead bird. The NTSB, however, said the sensor was never recovered at the crash site in spite of a partial search by both sides a week after the accident. Boeing has previously said the MCAS was a safety feature and the issues identified after the crash of flight 302, which followed one of a similar plane in Indonesia five months earlier, have been rectified. The NTSB also accused their Ethiopian counterparts of focusing on the contributions of the design issues to the accident at the expense of the crew's own training and reaction to the emergency that arose. "Discussion of crew resource management and performance were still not sufficiently developed in the draft final report," the NTSB said. In their report, the Ethiopian investigators found that the crew members were licensed and qualified for flight in accordance with the existing Ethiopian Civil Aviation Rules and Standards, but were startled by the unprecedented change of events and "confusing alerts", and blamed it all on the plane's design. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ethiopia inspectors didn't pay attention to important aspects in Boeing 737-MAX crash: US experts

As teams are being rushed to the site where a China Eastern Airlines plane crashed in China's Guangxi region, several videos have emerged on social media showing the final minutes of the plane crash.

According to officials, the passenger jet carrying 132 people crashed onto a mountainside shortly after losing contact with air traffic control.

It is being said that the plane dropped thousands of metres in just three minutes. The flight-tracking ended at 2.22 pm at an altitude of 3,225 feet.

The footage showed thick black fumes of smoke billowing out of the mountain soon after the plane raced vertically towards the ground in the moments before the crash.

According to reports, the plane crashed in Teng county near Wuzhou and caused a mountain fire. Rescue workers have found no signs of any survivors.

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Final seconds of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MU5735?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MU5735</a> <a href="https://t.co/gCoMX1iMDL">pic.twitter.com/gCoMX1iMDL</a>
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A villager was quoted by AFP as saying that the plane had "completely fallen apart" and he had seen nearby forest areas destroyed by a fire.

President Xi Jinping said that he was 'shocked' by the incident and immediately ordered an investigation into the cause.

"We are shocked to learn of the China Eastern MU5735 accident," state broadcaster CCTV reported Xi saying, while he also called for "all efforts" towards the rescue and to find out the "cause of the accident as soon as possible".

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Dash cam footage <a href="https://t.co/w8iOzHblXE">pic.twitter.com/w8iOzHblXE</a>
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The plane, flight number MU5735 from Kunming to Guangzhou, is believed to be a&nbsp;Boeing 737-89P, which is not part of the MAX series that has reported numerous technical faults in recent years.

(With inputs from agencies)

As teams are being rushed to the site where a China Eastern Airlines plane crashed in China's Guangxi region, several videos have emerged on social media showing the final minutes of the plane crash.

As teams are being rushed to the site where a China Eastern Airlines plane crashed in China's Guangxi region, several videos have emerged on social media showing the final minutes of the plane crash. According to officials, the passenger jet carrying 132 people crashed onto a mountainside shortly after losing contact with air traffic control. It is being said that the plane dropped thousands of metres in just three minutes. The flight-tracking ended at 2.22 pm at an altitude of 3,225 feet. The footage showed thick black fumes of smoke billowing out of the mountain soon after the plane raced vertically towards the ground in the moments before the crash. According to reports, the plane crashed in Teng county near Wuzhou and caused a mountain fire. Rescue workers have found no signs of any survivors. Final seconds of #MU5735 pic.twitter.com/gCoMX1iMDL — ChinaAviationReview (@ChinaAvReview) March 21, 2022 × A villager was quoted by AFP as saying that the plane had "completely fallen apart" and he had seen nearby forest areas destroyed by a fire. President Xi Jinping said that he was 'shocked' by the incident and immediately ordered an investigation into the cause. "We are shocked to learn of the China Eastern MU5735 accident," state broadcaster CCTV reported Xi saying, while he also called for "all efforts" towards the rescue and to find out the "cause of the accident as soon as possible". Dash cam footage pic.twitter.com/w8iOzHblXE — ChinaAviationReview (@ChinaAvReview) March 21, 2022 × The plane, flight number MU5735 from Kunming to Guangzhou, is believed to be a Boeing 737-89P, which is not part of the MAX series that has reported numerous technical faults in recent years. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Final moments of China plane caught on camera just before crash

China's state-run Global Times informed that Boeing 737 MAX may return&nbsp;after being grounded for over 32 months.

The daily informed that the aircraft manufacturers have been working on "technical requirements" to get the aircraft off the ground.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-spicejet-settles-with-boeing-max-aircraft-lessor-avolon-408476">Also Read:&nbsp;India's SpiceJet settles with Boeing MAX aircraft lessor Avolon</a>

The newspaper informed that 737 MAX officials have been looking at "design changes" in the flight control system software and display system software.

Boeing officials this week had announced that they had reached an agreement to compensate the families of those killed in the crash in Ethiopia.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/boeing-postpones-starliner-launch-to-international-space-station-after-new-glitch-402729">Also Read:&nbsp;Boeing postpones Starliner launch to International Space Station after new glitch</a>

The crash had occurred in Nairobi in 2019 after the aircraft took off from Addis Ababa killing 157 people onboard.

Several planes have remained grounded for months before they were allowed to fly in some countries. The company also agreed to settle $2.5 billion worth lawsuits as it admitted its employees misled the US aviation regulator.

A US court earlier charged a former pilot Mark Forkner with misleading regulators during certification. US regulators had told Congress that Boeing still has work to do even as the company said it is"committed to full transparency and cooperation".

(With inputs from Agencies)

China's state-run Global Times informed that Boeing 737 MAX may return after being grounded for over 32 months. The daily informed that the aircraft manufacturers have been working on "technical requirements" to get the aircraft off the ground.

China's state-run Global Times informed that Boeing 737 MAX may return after being grounded for over 32 months. The daily informed that the aircraft manufacturers have been working on "technical requirements" to get the aircraft off the ground. Also Read: India's SpiceJet settles with Boeing MAX aircraft lessor Avolon The newspaper informed that 737 MAX officials have been looking at "design changes" in the flight control system software and display system software. Boeing officials this week had announced that they had reached an agreement to compensate the families of those killed in the crash in Ethiopia. Also Read: Boeing postpones Starliner launch to International Space Station after new glitch The crash had occurred in Nairobi in 2019 after the aircraft took off from Addis Ababa killing 157 people onboard. Several planes have remained grounded for months before they were allowed to fly in some countries. The company also agreed to settle $2.5 billion worth lawsuits as it admitted its employees misled the US aviation regulator. A US court earlier charged a former pilot Mark Forkner with misleading regulators during certification. US regulators had told Congress that Boeing still has work to do even as the company said it is"committed to full transparency and cooperation". (With inputs from Agencies)

Boeing 737 MAX carrying out changes in China to return: Report

New VVIP carrier has been arrived in India. This aircraft will be exclusively used by India's Prime Minister, President & Vice President.

New VVIP carrier arrives in India, to be exclusively used by PM, President and Vice President

Boeing reported a second-quarter loss of $2.9 billion Wednesday as the grounding of 737 MAX following two deadly crashes continues to weigh on the company.

The loss, the biggest ever in a single quarter for the aerospace giant, follows last week's announcement that Boeing would set aside $4.9 billion after taxes to compensate airlines for cancelled flights and the delay in plane deliveries.&nbsp;

Revenues tumbled 35.1 per cent to $15.8 billion, reflecting the hit from a halt to deliveries of the 737 MAX, a top-selling plane.

Boeing also pushed back the timeframe for first flights of the 777X, a new long-haul plane under development. It pointed to problems with the 777X engine, which is being built by General Electric.&nbsp;

The 737 MAX has been grounded since mid-March following the second of two crashes that together claimed 346 lives.

Boeing is developing a software fix to address a problem with a flight handling system that was linked to both crashes.

"Disciplined development and testing is underway and we will submit the final software package to the FAA once we have satisfied all of their certification requirements," Boeing said.

Boeing has said it is targeting early in the fourth quarter to win approval from regulators.

The company, which has pulled its full-year profit forecast due to uncertainty about the MAX, boosted dividend payments in the second quarter. Compared with last year, Boeing spent $1.2 billion in dividends, up 20 per cent from the year-ago period.

Shares fell 0.8 per cent to $369.84 in pre-market trading.

Boeing reported a second-quarter loss of $2.9 billion Wednesday as the grounding of 737 MAX following two deadly crashes continues to weigh on the company. The loss, the biggest ever in a single quarter for the aerospace giant, follows last week's announcement that Boeing would set aside $4.

Boeing reported a second-quarter loss of $2.9 billion Wednesday as the grounding of 737 MAX following two deadly crashes continues to weigh on the company. The loss, the biggest ever in a single quarter for the aerospace giant, follows last week's announcement that Boeing would set aside $4.9 billion after taxes to compensate airlines for cancelled flights and the delay in plane deliveries. Revenues tumbled 35.1 per cent to $15.8 billion, reflecting the hit from a halt to deliveries of the 737 MAX, a top-selling plane. Boeing also pushed back the timeframe for first flights of the 777X, a new long-haul plane under development. It pointed to problems with the 777X engine, which is being built by General Electric. The 737 MAX has been grounded since mid-March following the second of two crashes that together claimed 346 lives. Boeing is developing a software fix to address a problem with a flight handling system that was linked to both crashes. "Disciplined development and testing is underway and we will submit the final software package to the FAA once we have satisfied all of their certification requirements," Boeing said. Boeing has said it is targeting early in the fourth quarter to win approval from regulators. The company, which has pulled its full-year profit forecast due to uncertainty about the MAX, boosted dividend payments in the second quarter. Compared with last year, Boeing spent $1.2 billion in dividends, up 20 per cent from the year-ago period. Shares fell 0.8 per cent to $369.84 in pre-market trading.

Boeing reports $2.9 billion loss in 2Q, biggest quarterly loss ever

United Airlines said on Friday it is extending by one month its cancellations of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-acknowledges-flaw-in-737-max-simulator-software-220226">Boeing Co 737 MAX flights</a>, through August&nbsp;3, as the jetliner remains grounded following two fatal crashes.

United, which operates 14 737 MAX jets, said the decision would lead to about 40 or 45 daily cancelled flights.

The Chicago-based carrier joins rivals Southwest Airlines Co and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/american-airlines-cancels-115-flights-daily-over-boeing-737-max-until-august-210442">American Airlines</a> Group Inc which had already suspended <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/probe-begins-after-boeing-737-slides-off-runway-into-florida-river-216035">737 MAX flights</a> into August as global carriers await regulatory approval for the aircraft to fly again.

The worldwide grounding in March of Boeing's fast-selling aircraft followed a crash in Indonesia and another in Ethiopia that killed a combined 346 people.

Since the grounding, US airlines have had to readjust schedules and come up with solutions in order to meet demand during the busy summer travel season.

Reuters reported on Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration expects to approve the 737 MAX jet to return to service as soon as late June, according to people familiar with the matter.

Even so, FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell told reporters on Thursday after a meeting with international air regulators in Texas that he would not assign a specific date for the US approval.

Once regulators approve the 737 MAX jets for flight, each aircraft will likely require between 100 and 150 hours of preparation before flying, in addition to pilot training, Reuters also reported on Thursday.

United, whose parent company is United Continental Holdings Inc, was due to take delivery of 16 more MAX jets this year before the grounding.

"We'll continue to monitor the regulatory process and nimbly make the necessary adjustments to our operation and our schedule to benefit our customers who are travelling this summer," a United spokesman said in a statement on Friday.

Separately, United said on Friday it had launched a management overhaul at Colombia's cash-strapped Avianca Holdings, with which it is pursuing a three-way tie-up with Panama's Copa.

The move, which removes Avianca's top shareholder, German Efromovich, from control and hands it to a third party, follows a default by his holding company on a $456 million loan from United.

United has been seeking to expand in Latin America, which is considered ripe for air travel growth.

Shares of United were little changed on Friday afternoon at $80.95. 
&nbsp;

United Airlines said on Friday it is extending by one month its cancellations of Boeing Co 737 MAX flights, through August 3, as the jetliner remains grounded following two fatal crashes.

United Airlines said on Friday it is extending by one month its cancellations of Boeing Co 737 MAX flights, through August 3, as the jetliner remains grounded following two fatal crashes. United, which operates 14 737 MAX jets, said the decision would lead to about 40 or 45 daily cancelled flights. The Chicago-based carrier joins rivals Southwest Airlines Co and American Airlines Group Inc which had already suspended 737 MAX flights into August as global carriers await regulatory approval for the aircraft to fly again. The worldwide grounding in March of Boeing's fast-selling aircraft followed a crash in Indonesia and another in Ethiopia that killed a combined 346 people. Since the grounding, US airlines have had to readjust schedules and come up with solutions in order to meet demand during the busy summer travel season. Reuters reported on Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration expects to approve the 737 MAX jet to return to service as soon as late June, according to people familiar with the matter. Even so, FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell told reporters on Thursday after a meeting with international air regulators in Texas that he would not assign a specific date for the US approval. Once regulators approve the 737 MAX jets for flight, each aircraft will likely require between 100 and 150 hours of preparation before flying, in addition to pilot training, Reuters also reported on Thursday. United, whose parent company is United Continental Holdings Inc, was due to take delivery of 16 more MAX jets this year before the grounding. "We'll continue to monitor the regulatory process and nimbly make the necessary adjustments to our operation and our schedule to benefit our customers who are travelling this summer," a United spokesman said in a statement on Friday. Separately, United said on Friday it had launched a management overhaul at Colombia's cash-strapped Avianca Holdings, with which it is pursuing a three-way tie-up with Panama's Copa. The move, which removes Avianca's top shareholder, German Efromovich, from control and hands it to a third party, follows a default by his holding company on a $456 million loan from United. United has been seeking to expand in Latin America, which is considered ripe for air travel growth. Shares of United were little changed on Friday afternoon at $80.95.

United Airlines extends cancellations of Boeing 737 MAX flights into August

Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people.

"Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions," it said in a statement.

The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators.

Boeing's statement about the flight simulator marked the first acknowledgement of shortcoming since the two accidents led to the grounding of the top-selling 737 MAX plane. The plane's MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy.

According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October.

The company said the latest "changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel," a rarely used manual wheel to control the plane's angle.&nbsp;

"Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted," it added.

Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator "late this year."

American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December.

"As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association," it added.

Certification process

The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and international regulators before they can return to service.

Only Air Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources told AFP.

Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation.&nbsp;

US airlines train their pilots flying the MAX on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the version preceding the 737 MAX in the 737 aircraft family.

Southwest said that is because, during the certification process for the MAX, Boeing stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer and online training could accommodate for the differences.

The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved those recommendations, Boeing stresses.

However, the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the MAX in order to correct an aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motors and to prevent the plane from stalling.

Pilot training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators in Fort Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified 737 MAX.

The American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree.

Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX.

The proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from US and international regulators before the planes can return to service.

US airlines have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 MAX.

Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people.

Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people. "Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions," it said in a statement. The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators. Boeing's statement about the flight simulator marked the first acknowledgement of shortcoming since the two accidents led to the grounding of the top-selling 737 MAX plane. The plane's MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy. According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October. The company said the latest "changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel," a rarely used manual wheel to control the plane's angle. "Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted," it added. Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator "late this year." American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December. "As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association," it added. Certification process The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and international regulators before they can return to service. Only Air Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources told AFP. Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation. US airlines train their pilots flying the MAX on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the version preceding the 737 MAX in the 737 aircraft family. Southwest said that is because, during the certification process for the MAX, Boeing stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer and online training could accommodate for the differences. The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved those recommendations, Boeing stresses. However, the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the MAX in order to correct an aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motors and to prevent the plane from stalling. Pilot training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators in Fort Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified 737 MAX. The American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree. Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX. The proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from US and international regulators before the planes can return to service. US airlines have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 MAX.

Boeing acknowledges flaw in 737 MAX simulator software

Billionaire Warren Buffett, one of the world's most influential businessmen, said Saturday that he would not hesitate to fly in a Boeing 737 Max airplane, despite the grounding of the planes after two fatal crashes.

"I will never hesitate even for a second to fly on a 737 MAX," he said in response to a question from AFP on the sidelines of the annual shareholder meeting of his Berkshire Hathaway empire in Omaha.

While Buffett, the world's third-richest man, owns stakes in several of the most prestigious American companies -- from Coca-Cola to JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs to Apple and, recently, Amazon -- he holds no shares in Boeing, though he has invested in airlines.&nbsp;

Buffett was responding to a question about the damage to Boeing's reputation after 737 MAX planes were involved in two fatal crashes that left a total of nearly 350 people dead in a span of less than five months.

Boeing's entire 737 MAX fleet has been grounded since shortly after the latest crash in March, while investigators study the incidents and engineers work on solutions. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Another Boeing plane -- a 737 model that preceded the MAX line -- was involved in a rough landing late Friday in Jacksonville, Florida, when it skidded off a runway and into a river, but without causing any serious injuries.

"Planes have never been so safe," Buffett said, even as he encouraged Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg to always make safety a priority.

Billionaire Warren Buffett, one of the world's most influential businessmen, said Saturday that he would not hesitate to fly in a Boeing 737 Max airplane, despite the grounding of the planes after two fatal crashes.

Billionaire Warren Buffett, one of the world's most influential businessmen, said Saturday that he would not hesitate to fly in a Boeing 737 Max airplane, despite the grounding of the planes after two fatal crashes. "I will never hesitate even for a second to fly on a 737 MAX," he said in response to a question from AFP on the sidelines of the annual shareholder meeting of his Berkshire Hathaway empire in Omaha. While Buffett, the world's third-richest man, owns stakes in several of the most prestigious American companies -- from Coca-Cola to JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs to Apple and, recently, Amazon -- he holds no shares in Boeing, though he has invested in airlines. Buffett was responding to a question about the damage to Boeing's reputation after 737 MAX planes were involved in two fatal crashes that left a total of nearly 350 people dead in a span of less than five months. Boeing's entire 737 MAX fleet has been grounded since shortly after the latest crash in March, while investigators study the incidents and engineers work on solutions. Another Boeing plane -- a 737 model that preceded the MAX line -- was involved in a rough landing late Friday in Jacksonville, Florida, when it skidded off a runway and into a river, but without causing any serious injuries. "Planes have never been so safe," Buffett said, even as he encouraged Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg to always make safety a priority.

I will never hesitate to fly in Boeing 737 MAX: Warren Buffett

US regulators considered grounding some <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-wins-confidence-of-shareholders-prepares-for-key-737-max-test-flight-214795">Boeing 737 MAX planes</a> last year after learning of a problem with a system that is now the main suspect in two deadly crashes, a source close to the matter said.

Investigators in the Lion Air crash in October off the coast of Indonesia and the Ethiopia Airlines disaster in March have zeroed in on the planes' anti-stall system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS.

Last year, inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration discovered Boeing de-activated a signal designed to advise the cockpit crew of a malfunctioning of the MCAS system, the source said.

The inspectors were in charge of monitoring Southwest Airlines, the biggest user of 737 MAX planes, with a fleet of 34 of them at the time, added the source.

Before the Lion Air crash, which killed all 189 people on board, "the (signals) were depicted as operable by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-faces-fresh-lawsuits-from-families-of-boeing-737-max-crash-victims-214726">Boeing</a> on all MAX aircraft" regardless of whether the cockpit crew thought they had them turned on or off, said a Southwest spokeswoman.

She said after the accident, Boeing told Southwest the signals were "turned off unless they were specifically designated as being turned on" -- prompting the airline to choose that option for all its aircraft.

It was at that point inspectors learned Boeing had opted to make the malfunction alert an optional extra costing more money -- and had deactivated the signal on all 737 MAX delivered to Southwest without telling the carrier.

They considered recommending grounding the planes as they explored whether pilots flying the aircraft needed additional training about the alerts, said the source.

They decided against that -- but never passed details of the discussions to higher-ranking officials in the FAA, the source said, confirming a story in The Wall Street Journal.

A costly grounding

The FAA would not comment on the planes coming close to being grounded last year.

The Ethiopia Airlines crash left all 157 people on the plane dead and led to all Boeing 737 Max planes all over the world being grounded. In this case too the MCAS is being looked at as a possible cause of the crash.

In times of mid-air distress, the system is supposed to activate on its own and push the nose of the plane down to keep it from stalling. &nbsp;

Boeing is working on changing the MCAS so it can get the planes back in the air.

The grounding has already cost the carrier a billion dollars, Boeing said last week.&nbsp;

But the bill will probably climb because Boeing is expected to pay money to airlines forced to cancel thousands of flights and hire more reservations and services staff.&nbsp;

Boeing has suspended deliveries of Boeing 737 Max planes and cut production of them by 20 percent.

Neither of the Boeing 737 Max planes in the Lion Air crash in Indonesia or the Ethiopian Airlines crash were equipped with the signal that is supposed to show a malfunctioning of the MCAS, an industry source told AFP in March.

Called "disagree lights" in Boeing parlance, these lights turn on when faulty information is sent from so-called angle of attack sensors to the MCAS. Those sensors monitor whether the wings have enough lift to keep the plane flying.

"As we return to service, all customers will have the AOA disagree alert as standard and have the option to include the AOA indicator at no cost. This change will be made to all MAX aircraft -- production and retrofit," Boeing told AFP in a statement Sunday.

"A new software update will separate those two features, making AOA disagree alert a standalone standard feature and keeping AOA indicator as an additional customer-selected option."

In the case of the Lion Air crash, investigators think one of the angle of attack sensors may have failed and sent incorrect data to the MCAS, causing its nose to go down as pilots fought to bring it back up.

The MCAS overrides the pilots manual efforts to point the plane up or down.

With the angle of attack sensor not working properly, the thing to do would have been to turn off the MCAS. But the Lion Air cockpit crew did not know that.&nbsp;

US regulators considered grounding some Boeing 737 MAX planes last year after learning of a problem with a system that is now the main suspect in two deadly crashes, a source close to the matter said.

US regulators considered grounding some Boeing 737 MAX planes last year after learning of a problem with a system that is now the main suspect in two deadly crashes, a source close to the matter said. Investigators in the Lion Air crash in October off the coast of Indonesia and the Ethiopia Airlines disaster in March have zeroed in on the planes' anti-stall system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. Last year, inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration discovered Boeing de-activated a signal designed to advise the cockpit crew of a malfunctioning of the MCAS system, the source said. The inspectors were in charge of monitoring Southwest Airlines, the biggest user of 737 MAX planes, with a fleet of 34 of them at the time, added the source. Before the Lion Air crash, which killed all 189 people on board, "the (signals) were depicted as operable by Boeing on all MAX aircraft" regardless of whether the cockpit crew thought they had them turned on or off, said a Southwest spokeswoman. She said after the accident, Boeing told Southwest the signals were "turned off unless they were specifically designated as being turned on" -- prompting the airline to choose that option for all its aircraft. It was at that point inspectors learned Boeing had opted to make the malfunction alert an optional extra costing more money -- and had deactivated the signal on all 737 MAX delivered to Southwest without telling the carrier. They considered recommending grounding the planes as they explored whether pilots flying the aircraft needed additional training about the alerts, said the source. They decided against that -- but never passed details of the discussions to higher-ranking officials in the FAA, the source said, confirming a story in The Wall Street Journal. A costly grounding The FAA would not comment on the planes coming close to being grounded last year. The Ethiopia Airlines crash left all 157 people on the plane dead and led to all Boeing 737 Max planes all over the world being grounded. In this case too the MCAS is being looked at as a possible cause of the crash. In times of mid-air distress, the system is supposed to activate on its own and push the nose of the plane down to keep it from stalling. Boeing is working on changing the MCAS so it can get the planes back in the air. The grounding has already cost the carrier a billion dollars, Boeing said last week. But the bill will probably climb because Boeing is expected to pay money to airlines forced to cancel thousands of flights and hire more reservations and services staff. Boeing has suspended deliveries of Boeing 737 Max planes and cut production of them by 20 percent. Neither of the Boeing 737 Max planes in the Lion Air crash in Indonesia or the Ethiopian Airlines crash were equipped with the signal that is supposed to show a malfunctioning of the MCAS, an industry source told AFP in March. Called "disagree lights" in Boeing parlance, these lights turn on when faulty information is sent from so-called angle of attack sensors to the MCAS. Those sensors monitor whether the wings have enough lift to keep the plane flying. "As we return to service, all customers will have the AOA disagree alert as standard and have the option to include the AOA indicator at no cost. This change will be made to all MAX aircraft -- production and retrofit," Boeing told AFP in a statement Sunday. "A new software update will separate those two features, making AOA disagree alert a standalone standard feature and keeping AOA indicator as an additional customer-selected option." In the case of the Lion Air crash, investigators think one of the angle of attack sensors may have failed and sent incorrect data to the MCAS, causing its nose to go down as pilots fought to bring it back up. The MCAS overrides the pilots manual efforts to point the plane up or down. With the angle of attack sensor not working properly, the thing to do would have been to turn off the MCAS. But the Lion Air cockpit crew did not know that.

FAA considered grounding some Boeing 737 Max planes last year: Source

Fresh lawsuits were filed against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-making-steady-progress-on-certifying-737-max-software-update-ceo-211569">Boeing </a>at the federal district court in Chicago&nbsp;by two families of passengers who lost their lives in the recent Ethiopian Airlines <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-i-were-boeing-i-would-fix-737-max-and-rebrand-the-plane-with-a-new-name-trump-210614">Boeing</a> 737 MAX crash that left all the 157 people on board dead.

The two plaintiffs - Manant Vaidya and Paul Njoroge - lost several close family members in the March 10 crash, which spurred the grounding of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-737-max-software-upgrade-operationally-suitable-faa-panel-211034">Boeing MAX jets</a> by a number of countries, including India.

Three generations of Canada-based Vaidya`s family, which had Indian origin, were killed. Those dead included the man`s father Pannagesh Bhaskar Vaidya, mother Hansini Pannagesh Vaidya, sister Kosha Pannagesh Vaidya, brother-in-law Preritkumar Dixit and two nieces, 14-year-old Ashka Dixit and 13-year-old Anushka Dixit.

"I lost three generations of my family, my parents, my sister, my nieces. If a person lost just one life, their whole life is shattered. But right now with me, I`m more like, I don`t know. I`m completely lost right now," Vaidya, accompanied by his wife Hiral, said during a news conference at the Clifford Law Offices here on Monday.

The other plaintiff, Njoroge, lost his wife Carolyne Nduta Karanja, mother-in-law Ann Karanja, and three children -- six-year-old son Ryan Njoroge Njuguna and daughters Kellie W. Pauls, four years, and Rubi W. Pauls, nine months, in the deadly crash, according to Xinhua.

"I stay up all night crying, thinking of the horror that they must have endured as pilots struggled to keep the plane flying for six minutes...The terror that my wife must have experienced with little Rubi on her lap...Our two children beside her, crying for their daddy, my mom-in-law, feeling helplessness...Those six minutes will forever be embedded in my mind. I was not there to help them. I couldn`t save them," Njoroge said, choking several times while reading out his statement.

Boeing has been working on safer technology updates after coming under fire following two crashes - the Ethiopian Airlines crash and the Lion Air crash - which took place within five months of each other and claimed the lives of 346 people.

The aircraft manufacturer`s shares plummeted to its worst-ever low following the March crash, seeing an approximate 5 per cent drop in its stock price since the incident.

"We at Boeing are sorry for the lives lost in the recent 737 MAX accidents...All of us feel the immense gravity of these events across our company and recognize the devastation of the families and friends of the loved ones who perished," Boeing President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement earlier."

We`ve had teams of our top engineers and technical experts working tirelessly in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration and our customers to finalize and implement a software update that will ensure accidents like that of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 never happen again," it read.

The fresh lawsuits join a string of others which were filed against the American company in the aftermath of the crashes. 
&nbsp;

Fresh lawsuits were filed against Boeing at the federal district court in Chicago by two families of passengers who lost their lives in the recent Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash that left all the 157 people on board dead.

Fresh lawsuits were filed against Boeing at the federal district court in Chicago by two families of passengers who lost their lives in the recent Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash that left all the 157 people on board dead. The two plaintiffs - Manant Vaidya and Paul Njoroge - lost several close family members in the March 10 crash, which spurred the grounding of Boeing MAX jets by a number of countries, including India. Three generations of Canada-based Vaidya`s family, which had Indian origin, were killed. Those dead included the man`s father Pannagesh Bhaskar Vaidya, mother Hansini Pannagesh Vaidya, sister Kosha Pannagesh Vaidya, brother-in-law Preritkumar Dixit and two nieces, 14-year-old Ashka Dixit and 13-year-old Anushka Dixit. "I lost three generations of my family, my parents, my sister, my nieces. If a person lost just one life, their whole life is shattered. But right now with me, I`m more like, I don`t know. I`m completely lost right now," Vaidya, accompanied by his wife Hiral, said during a news conference at the Clifford Law Offices here on Monday. The other plaintiff, Njoroge, lost his wife Carolyne Nduta Karanja, mother-in-law Ann Karanja, and three children -- six-year-old son Ryan Njoroge Njuguna and daughters Kellie W. Pauls, four years, and Rubi W. Pauls, nine months, in the deadly crash, according to Xinhua. "I stay up all night crying, thinking of the horror that they must have endured as pilots struggled to keep the plane flying for six minutes...The terror that my wife must have experienced with little Rubi on her lap...Our two children beside her, crying for their daddy, my mom-in-law, feeling helplessness...Those six minutes will forever be embedded in my mind. I was not there to help them. I couldn`t save them," Njoroge said, choking several times while reading out his statement. Boeing has been working on safer technology updates after coming under fire following two crashes - the Ethiopian Airlines crash and the Lion Air crash - which took place within five months of each other and claimed the lives of 346 people. The aircraft manufacturer`s shares plummeted to its worst-ever low following the March crash, seeing an approximate 5 per cent drop in its stock price since the incident. "We at Boeing are sorry for the lives lost in the recent 737 MAX accidents...All of us feel the immense gravity of these events across our company and recognize the devastation of the families and friends of the loved ones who perished," Boeing President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement earlier." We`ve had teams of our top engineers and technical experts working tirelessly in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration and our customers to finalize and implement a software update that will ensure accidents like that of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 never happen again," it read. The fresh lawsuits join a string of others which were filed against the American company in the aftermath of the crashes.

Boeing faces fresh lawsuits from families of Boeing 737 MAX crash victims

The Co-founder of Indonesia’s Lion Air, one of two airlines that lost passengers and crew in recent crashes involving the 737 MAX, has lashed out at Boeing’s handling of the accidents as the potential business fallout from the jet’s grounding intensifies.

Lion Air's founder hits out at Boeing

By&nbsp;Kelli Matthews*

In a crisis, time is not on your side.

A crisis creates a vacuum, an informational void that gets filled one way or another. The longer a company or other organization at the centre of the crisis waits to communicate, the more likely that void will be filled by critics.&nbsp;

That’s exactly what’s happening to Boeing.&nbsp;

On March 10, Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 crashed outside Addis Ababa shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 passengers on board. This was the second Boeing 737 Max to crash in fewer than four months, putting the total death toll at almost 350 people.&nbsp;

I’ve been both a manager and teacher of crisis communications for more than a decade. One thing I know for sure is that in crises in which there’s loss of life, it’s important to be compassionate, empathetic and careful.

However, in the two days after the Ethiopian Air crash, Boeing made crisis communications missteps that may have a long-term effect on its reputation and credibility.

Too little, too late&nbsp;

The key problem with Boeing’s approach is that its response was initially too defensive, slow and passive, suggesting a lack of openness and accountability.

For two days, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg insisted the 737 Max planes were safe, even as country after country grounded the aircraft. Then on March 13 when the Federal Aviation Administration eventually followed suit, Boeing again maintained that its planes were safe.

But other than these statements and two tweets from Muilenburg, Boeing’s leadership has been silent.

Silence is passive and suggests that an organization is neither in control nor trying to take control of a situation. Silence allows others to frame the issues and control the narrative.

As a result, Boeing has found itself playing defense to a storyline that suggests the company was more interested in profits than people in the rush to produce an aircraft that accounts for about a third of its revenue.

That narrative is being pushed by other airlines, media, employees and airplane safety advocates like Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.

Being proactive&nbsp;

Boeing could have adopted a proactive approach, such as by taking the initiative to ground its own planes.

Instead, Boeing hesitated, wasn’t transparent and didn’t shoulder any responsibility for what had happened, leaving it to airlines, countries and regulators to ground the 737 Max.

According to crisis communications scholar Timothy Coombs, corporate openness is defined by a company’s availability to the media, willingness to disclose information and honesty. Boeing failed in all three regards.

And the few statements it has issued are chock-full of platitudes – such as “safety is a core value” – and lack meaningful information. In its statement after the FAA grounded the 737 Max, Boeing suggested it was complying “out of an abundance of caution.” But Boeing didn’t have a choice. The decision was made.

Boeing is now on the defensive and, going forward, will have to counter the damaging narrative circulating in the court of public opinion. It has its work cut out for it. Research shows that people are quick to believe the worst about organizations, which feeds negative speculation.

Turbulence ahead&nbsp;

The challenge Boeing faces is serious.

Many of its planes continue to be grounded, which could cost Boeing as much as US$5 billion, according to early estimates. Boeing has paused delivery on the 737 Max and orders for future planes are at risk – it recently received its first public cancellation. The company has about 4,500 of the airplanes on order.

Boeing does have one thing in its favour. The company has built strong relationships with government officials in Washington over the years.

But those relationships, which could be useful and shield the company to some degree, are now under stress as Congress and the Justice Department investigate how Boeing got the 737 Max certified to fly.

Turning things around&nbsp;

So is it too late to turn things around?

I believe it isn’t, but Boeing must immediately change its strategy from passive and closed to active and open. Rather than wait for lawmakers or investigators to get to the bottom of things, which could be devastating for Boeing, the airplane manufacturer should collect all the relevant information and disclose as much as possible, however damaging.

Boeing should be able to answer questions like what happened, who is responsible and why did it happen. The best way to demonstrate its commitment to safety is not with platitudes but concrete actions that reveal openness and accountability. Research has shown that transparency and honesty are key to effective communication in a crisis.

Ultimately, the company needs to show that the lives of passengers on its planes are more important than profits or its reputation. And in the long run, doing so will help it recover and regain the trust that’s been lost.

We all expect aeroplanes to be safe. Boeing has violated that expectation.

The decision about whether and when the 737 Max is back in the air – and how much this will ultimately cost Boeing – will be made by airlines, regulators and legislators. And, in turn, they will listen to their customers and constituents.

If the court of public opinion finds Boeing guilty of putting their lives and their families’ lives at risk, those decision-makers will find it hard to support the company.&nbsp;

*(Kelli Matthews is a senior instructor of public relations at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication.)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/boeing-is-doing-crisis-management-all-wrong-heres-what-a-company-needs-to-do-to-restore-the-publics-trust-114051">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

By Kelli Matthews* In a crisis, time is not on your side. A crisis creates a vacuum, an informational void that gets filled one way or another. The longer a company or other organization at the centre of the crisis waits to communicate, the more likely that void will be filled by critics.

By Kelli Matthews* In a crisis, time is not on your side. A crisis creates a vacuum, an informational void that gets filled one way or another. The longer a company or other organization at the centre of the crisis waits to communicate, the more likely that void will be filled by critics. That’s exactly what’s happening to Boeing. On March 10, Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 crashed outside Addis Ababa shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 passengers on board. This was the second Boeing 737 Max to crash in fewer than four months, putting the total death toll at almost 350 people. I’ve been both a manager and teacher of crisis communications for more than a decade. One thing I know for sure is that in crises in which there’s loss of life, it’s important to be compassionate, empathetic and careful. However, in the two days after the Ethiopian Air crash, Boeing made crisis communications missteps that may have a long-term effect on its reputation and credibility. Too little, too late The key problem with Boeing’s approach is that its response was initially too defensive, slow and passive, suggesting a lack of openness and accountability. For two days, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg insisted the 737 Max planes were safe, even as country after country grounded the aircraft. Then on March 13 when the Federal Aviation Administration eventually followed suit, Boeing again maintained that its planes were safe. But other than these statements and two tweets from Muilenburg, Boeing’s leadership has been silent. Silence is passive and suggests that an organization is neither in control nor trying to take control of a situation. Silence allows others to frame the issues and control the narrative. As a result, Boeing has found itself playing defense to a storyline that suggests the company was more interested in profits than people in the rush to produce an aircraft that accounts for about a third of its revenue. That narrative is being pushed by other airlines, media, employees and airplane safety advocates like Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. Being proactive Boeing could have adopted a proactive approach, such as by taking the initiative to ground its own planes. Instead, Boeing hesitated, wasn’t transparent and didn’t shoulder any responsibility for what had happened, leaving it to airlines, countries and regulators to ground the 737 Max. According to crisis communications scholar Timothy Coombs, corporate openness is defined by a company’s availability to the media, willingness to disclose information and honesty. Boeing failed in all three regards. And the few statements it has issued are chock-full of platitudes – such as “safety is a core value” – and lack meaningful information. In its statement after the FAA grounded the 737 Max, Boeing suggested it was complying “out of an abundance of caution.” But Boeing didn’t have a choice. The decision was made. Boeing is now on the defensive and, going forward, will have to counter the damaging narrative circulating in the court of public opinion. It has its work cut out for it. Research shows that people are quick to believe the worst about organizations, which feeds negative speculation. Turbulence ahead The challenge Boeing faces is serious. Many of its planes continue to be grounded, which could cost Boeing as much as US$5 billion, according to early estimates. Boeing has paused delivery on the 737 Max and orders for future planes are at risk – it recently received its first public cancellation. The company has about 4,500 of the airplanes on order. Boeing does have one thing in its favour. The company has built strong relationships with government officials in Washington over the years. But those relationships, which could be useful and shield the company to some degree, are now under stress as Congress and the Justice Department investigate how Boeing got the 737 Max certified to fly. Turning things around So is it too late to turn things around? I believe it isn’t, but Boeing must immediately change its strategy from passive and closed to active and open. Rather than wait for lawmakers or investigators to get to the bottom of things, which could be devastating for Boeing, the airplane manufacturer should collect all the relevant information and disclose as much as possible, however damaging. Boeing should be able to answer questions like what happened, who is responsible and why did it happen. The best way to demonstrate its commitment to safety is not with platitudes but concrete actions that reveal openness and accountability. Research has shown that transparency and honesty are key to effective communication in a crisis. Ultimately, the company needs to show that the lives of passengers on its planes are more important than profits or its reputation. And in the long run, doing so will help it recover and regain the trust that’s been lost. We all expect aeroplanes to be safe. Boeing has violated that expectation. The decision about whether and when the 737 Max is back in the air – and how much this will ultimately cost Boeing – will be made by airlines, regulators and legislators. And, in turn, they will listen to their customers and constituents. If the court of public opinion finds Boeing guilty of putting their lives and their families’ lives at risk, those decision-makers will find it hard to support the company. *(Kelli Matthews is a senior instructor of public relations at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication.) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Boeing's crisis management all wrong, here's what a company needs to do to restore the public's trust

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