Transportation

US Transportation Chief Dashes Hopes of Quick Boeing Max 9 Jet Return

  • ‘The only consideration is safety,’ Buttigieg tells reporters
  • Planemaker facing intense scrutiny after last week’s accident
Pete Buttigieg Photographer: Annabelle Gordon/Bloomberg
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US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that Boeing Co.’s Max 9 airplanes would remain grounded until regulators deem them safe to fly, dashing hopes for a quick return to the skies for the beleaguered jet.

“All I’m going to say about that is the only consideration is safety,” Buttigieg told reporters after an appearance at a transportation conference in Washington. “That’s going to dictate everything.” He didn’t specify how long the process could take. “Nobody can or should be rushed in that process,” he said.