Boeing’s 737 Max Nears Return to Commercial Service in China
- Hainan Airlines completed a key readiness flight on Jan. 9
- Jet poised to resume regular airline service within weeks
Boeing 737 Max
Photographer: Chona Kasinger/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Boeing Co.’s 737 Max is poised to resume commercial flights in China as soon as this month, according to people familiar with the matter, a significant milestone for the narrow-body workhorse after it was grounded worldwide in 2019.
A so-called operational readiness flight conducted by Hainan Airlines on Jan. 9 is a sign the model could return to China’s skies within weeks, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing non-public information. The country’s Max operators haven’t given a specific date for the resumption and the move could still be delayed, particularly with Lunar New Year holidays approaching.