The Boeing 737 Max is facing delays due to supply issues

Boeing said it was facing delays in delivering a “significant number” of its 737 MAX planes due to a production problem.

The airline giant said its flexibility had told it that mounting fixtures in the rear of the plane did not follow the standard.

“This is not an immediate safety issue and the fleet in service can continue to operate safely,” the US-based aircraft maker said.

It’s the latest problem for Boeing as the industry faces a shortage of planes.

The manufacturing issue affects the 737 Max family of aircraft, including the Max 7, Max 8, and Max 8200, as well as the P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft.

“We have notified the FAA of the issue and are working to conduct inspections and replace non-conforming fixtures as necessary,” according to the company’s statement.

It has told clients they should expect “fewer near-term” deliveries until the work is done.

Shares in the US-based company fell more than 5% in after-hours trading.

This is the company’s latest delivery delay. Last month, US transportation regulators allowed Boeing to resume deliveries of its wide-body 787 Dreamliner planes after discovering a problem with data analysis. Deliveries were paused in February after the aircraft maker discovered the problem.

Demand for air travel has skyrocketed since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted. Airlines around the world compete for resources to meet demand. Boeing reported that shipments of new aircraft for its new planes jumped in the first three months of 2023. Many of the new planes are the 737 Max bought by US carriers Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.

Boeing is working to change course after its 737 MAX was grounded around the world for more than a year following two fatal crashes that killed 346 people.

It was later found that both crashes were caused by design flaws in the flight control software.