Boeing has begun early development of a new single-aisle aircraft that could eventually replace the 737 MAX, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Reuters was unable to confirm the report. Rolls-Royce declined to comment, while Boeing did not respond to requests for comment.
The 737 MAX first entered service in 2017 but was grounded worldwide in 2019 after two crashes killed 346 people. The tragedies severely hurt Boeing’s profits and led to lawsuits, investigations, and a U.S. Department of Justice probe.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted the grounding order in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week, the FAA said Boeing would again be allowed to issue airworthiness certificates for some 737 MAX aircraft, a power that was revoked after the second fatal crash in Ethiopia.
According to the WSJ, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg met Rolls-Royce officials in the UK earlier this year to discuss a potential new engine for the aircraft. Boeing is also reported to be designing a new flight deck for its narrow-body jet. The project remains in the early planning stage, with no final decisions yet.
Boeing told the WSJ that its recovery plan is on track, focusing on delivering around 6,000 backlogged aircraft and completing certification for previously announced models. Still, the company faces strong regulatory oversight.
In early 2024, the FAA capped 737 MAX production at 38 aircraft per month following a cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines jet. Investigators later discovered the plane was missing four bolts. The incident led the Justice Department, under then-President Joe Biden, to launch a criminal investigation. Prosecutors also declared Boeing was not in compliance with a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement, after earlier findings that the company had misled regulators during the 737 MAX certification process.
