Boeing’s Problems, Tragically, Are Mounting
Two 737 Max 8 crashes in less than five months is unusual – and a cause for worry.
A winglet on the first Boeing 737 MAX airliner is pictured at the company's manufacturing plant, on December 8, 2015, in Renton, Washington.
Photographer: Stephen Brashear/Getty Images North AmericaIn less than five months, 346 people have died in two plane crashes, first in the Java Sea in October and then in Ethiopia Sunday morning. Both disasters involved Boeing Co.’s 737 Max 8.
Flying may still be the safest way to travel, but when two overwhelming tragedies like these involve the same kind of aircraft in such a short time, it’s natural for people to worry the issue is the equipment, writes Chris Bryant. It’s still too soon to say the 737 Max is the problem, but markets went ahead and punished Boeing stock with the biggest percentage drop in almost two decades. Ironically, Boeing stock had recently ridden to nearly a record high on the 737 Max’s early sales, Chris notes.