FAA Certifies Boeing 737 Max 10 After Years of Safety-Related Delays

The Federal Aviation Administration officially certified the Boeing 737 Max 10 on Tuesday, clearing the last and largest member of Boeing's best-selling 737 Max family to fly commercially. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the decision during a visit to Boeing's manufacturing plant in Everett, Washington. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the approval followed a thorough review of the aircraft's design and safety requirements.

The Max 10, which can seat up to 230 passengers, was introduced at the Paris Air Show in 2017 and originally planned to enter service in 2020. Its certification was repeatedly delayed by heightened regulatory scrutiny following the fatal crashes of two 737 Max 8 jets in 2018 and 2019, a mid-air cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in January 2024, and required engineering changes including modifications to the aircraft's engine anti-icing system. Weeks before the approval, the FAA also reviewed a navigation system glitch on the Max 10 but deemed it was not a safety-of-flight issue.

The certification is a critical commercial milestone for Boeing, which has nearly 1,500 Max 10 orders on its books, representing roughly 30 percent of its total 737 backlog. The plane is designed to compete directly with the Airbus A321neo family, which has been in service since 2017. Boeing said it expects to begin first deliveries of the Max 10 to airline customers in 2027, though carriers such as United Airlines have indicated it may take additional months to integrate the aircraft into schedules.