FAA chief Stephen Dickson says his agency is "in the final stages of reviewing" changes Boeing has made to the aircraft after two deadly crashes and could finish the evaluation "in coming days."
"This moment is among the most difficult in our more than 100-year history," CEO Dave Calhoun said. Most of the layoffs will be in Washington state, where Boeing designs and builds many aircraft.
An investigation into the troubled plane's development and certification finds a "disturbing pattern" of Boeing design flaws, management failures and "grossly insufficient oversight by the FAA."
The agency says older 737 Classic and Next Generation planes that have been in storage because of the COVID-19 pandemic might have developed engine valve problems that could lead to engine failure.
The number of people traveling by air has plummeted more than 90% since the beginning of March. More than half of the employees losing their jobs are being laid off involuntarily.
The airplane manufacturer said it will eliminate nearly 16,000 jobs. Airlines are on pace to lose about $300 billion this year and aren't likely to be buying planes anytime soon.
Airbus and Boeing halt production of its jets because of the coronavirus. Orders for new planes have fallen as air travel has plummeted due to the pandemic.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued an airworthiness directive for the jetliner that stems from a faulty component that could make the aircraft vulnerable to lightening strikes.
The company builds parts including wing components, engine pylons and the entire fuselage for Boeing's troubled 737 Max jets. The planes have been grounded worldwide in the wake of two fatal crashes.
Canada's prime minister announced the preliminary finding a day after the Ukrainian plane crash that killed 176 people, including 63 Canadians. Iran denied the assertion, saying it is "impossible."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the plane crash in Tehran that killed 176 people "heartbreaking." One newspaper reported that nearly half of the Canadians who died are from the Edmonton area.
Boeing statement: "The Board of Directors decided that a change in leadership was necessary to restore confidence in the Company." More than 300 people have died in Boeing 737 Max plane crashes.
The journey is being hailed as a major achievement despite failing to complete a core objective: docking at the international space station. NASA hopes to launch U.S. astronauts in space in 2020.
After a flawless launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla., the crew capsule, loaded with 600 pounds of cargo for the station, was unable to reach its intended orbit, Boeing says.
The aircraft giant is the top U.S. exporter, and its decision to suspend production of the 737 Max is likely to ripple through the supply chain. Several analysts project that the move will cut growth.
Southwest said its decision is "based on continued uncertainty" about when the FAA will allow the Max planes return to service. Boeing's 737 Max fleet has been grounded worldwide since March.
Boeing executives' testimony suggests the company knew enough to at least question the safety of continuing to fly the 737 Max after the first of two deadly crashes involving the aircraft.
In the wake of two deadly 737 Max plane crashes, Boeing officials are now facing lawmakers on Capitol Hill. "We know we made mistakes and got some things wrong," said Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg.
Dennis Muilenburg was grilled about whether Boeing had a cozy relationship with the FAA and if the airline tried to conceal information about flaws in its onboard flight-control system, called MCAS.
The death of Samya Stumo in an Ethiopian Airlines crash stirred her parents to take action against regulators and Boeing. Victims' families want regulators to order a complete review of the 737 Max.
Two of the planes crashed, killing hundreds. The review panel finds that Boeing withheld critical details about a flawed new automated system, and the regulators lacked expertise to find the problem.
