Boeing Delivers First 737 Max to Lion Group
- Handover comes one day late after brief grounding last week
- The planemaker has more than 3,700 orders for Max models
Boeing's 737 MAX 8 was handed over to Malindo Air on May 16.
Source: BoeingThis article is for subscribers only.
Boeing Co. delivered the first 737 Max to the jetliner’s largest customer, Lion Mentari Airlines PT, a step toward reaping a cash bounty from the best-selling aircraft in company history.
The Tuesday hand-off in Seattle to Lion’s Malaysia affiliate, Malindo Airways, was only one day later than first scheduled after the U.S. planemaker quickly recovered from a possible engine manufacturing defect, which had grounded the fledgling Max fleet last week. Before that hiccup, the upgraded 737 had coasted through development and flight-testing months ahead of schedule -- a rarity in an industry where delays are common.