Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said Tuesday he is “not overly concerned” about a new software glitch that’s further delaying the certification of Boeing’s 737 Max 10, which is already years behind schedule.
Alaska earlier Tuesday unveiled a massive cabin overhaul with more premium seats across its fleet, including lie-flat suites on the Max 10, which are slated to start flying in late 2028. Minicucci told CNBC’s Phil LeBeau that the launch could be postponed if the latest Max 10 delay lasts several months, but he added that the Seattle-based airline is working with the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing on certification.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told reporters Monday that the agency is assessing a software issue on the planes and that its approval of the aircraft will be delayed, sending Boeing shares down sharply.
The Max 10 — which counts Alaska, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines among its customers — is the last model of Boeing’s bestselling Max family of jets that’s waiting for federal approval. Boeing’s CEO said earlier this month that he expected approval of the Max 10 “very soon.”
Boeing over the weekend said it recently flagged the problem, which could cut off some automated navigation information to pilots, in an updated software program to airlines. The issue could occur with the vertical navigation system after an aircraft misses an approach and has to go around and line up to land again.
Michael O’Leary, CEO of European budget carrier Ryanair, which is a Max 10 customer, told reporters at a conference in Warsaw, Poland, earlier Tuesday that he expected the Max 10 certification to come in “a matter of days, not weeks or months,” Reuters reported.
