alaska airlines Chief Executive Officer Ben Minicucci said Tuesday he is “not too concerned” about a new software glitch that will further delay certification of the Boeing 737 Max 10, which is already years behind schedule.
Alaska Airlines announced earlier Tuesday a major cabin renovation that will increase the number of premium seats across its fleet, including Max 10 lie-flat suites scheduled to begin service in late 2028. Minicucci told CNBC’s Phil LeBeau that if the latest Max 10 delays continue for several months, service could be postponed, but added that the Seattle-based airline is working with the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing on certification.
FAA Administrator Brian Bedford told reporters on Monday that the agency was investigating a software problem with the plane, delaying the plane’s approval and sending Boeing stock plummeting.
Max 10 — Count Alaska. united airlines, delta airlines and american airlines Among the company’s customers, it is the last model in Boeing’s best-selling Max family of jets awaiting federal approval. Boeing’s CEO said earlier this month that he expected the Max 10 to be approved “soon.”
Boeing said over the weekend that it had recently issued a warning about an issue in its latest software program for airlines that could potentially cut off some autonomous navigation information for pilots. This problem can occur with vertical navigation systems when an aircraft fails on approach and has to turn and align to land.
Michael O’Leary, CEO of European low-cost airline Ryanair, a Max 10 customer, told reporters at a conference in Warsaw, Poland early Tuesday that he expects Max 10 certification to be achieved “within days, not weeks or months,” Reuters reported.
