Boeing has been in the naughty corner with its primary regulator, the FAA, for a long time, but primarily since the 2024 door plug incident, when an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 had its door opened in mid-air. Since then, Boeing has made changes to its processes to demonstrate improvement in safety and assembly, hired a new CEO, and acquired Spirit Aerosystems. It seems all that effort is bearing fruit now.
FAA has allowed Boeing to issue airworthiness certificates again
In late September 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) once again allowed Boeing to issue its own airworthiness certificates for the 737 MAX and 787 aircraft. This is a significant development for Boeing, as the OEM has not been able to self-certify the 737 MAX since 2019 (when the two fatal incidents happened with Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines), and for the 787 Dreamliner since 2022.
The FAA, through the Organisation Designation Authorisation (ODA), allows specific organisations to perform certification on behalf of the FAA. One of the actions taken as a consequence of increased oversight over Boeing was that its ability to self-certify the airworthiness of its new aircraft was revoked. Now, the FAA has delegated the authority back to Boeing, which makes it responsible for determining whether an aircraft is safe to operate. This belief stems from the fact that the FAA believes Boeing’s ongoing production quality has now stabilised for the better following a thorough review.
This does not mean that the FAA is stepping back fully. The FAA will still be involved, observing critical assembly stages and reviewing the Boeing Safety Management System to ensure continuous improvement. Also, this is a halfway meeting. Boeing will conduct the certifications in alternate weeks, with the FAA conducting the certifications in the remaining weeks.
Boeing is expected to go to a 42 production rate for the 737 MAX as of October 2025
According to Bloomberg, as another vote of confidence in Boeing, the FAA is poised to lift some of the stringent measures it had implemented in 2024. Boeing had been capped at 38 737 MAX aircraft production for over a year and a half following the Alaska Air incident, and the backlog of 737 MAX aircraft to be delivered stood at over 4,800 as of August 2025. Now that the FAA appears to be satisfied with Boeing’s progress, the FAA is expected to grant Boeing the necessary clearance to produce 42 aircraft per month in the 737 series, according to Bloomberg. This could happen as quickly as October 2025 itself.
Furthermore, Boeing plans to increase its production rate to an even higher level in April 2025 and could reach 53 jets per month by the end of 2026.
Overall, all of this could be a significant relief for Boeing’s customers as well, who have been hindered in their expansion plans due to the recent slowdown in production. This includes Indian customers Akasa Air and Air India Express, both of which are in a tearing hurry to expand.
Bottomline
Overall, the FAA appears to be satisfied with Boeing’s efforts, following its display of improved safety practices and the reshuffling of its executive team over time. Boeing is now shifting its focus from short-term to long-term thinking. The FAA has handed over the reins, albeit partially, to Boeing to certify the airworthiness of its new 737 and 787 planes independently. Additionally, the production rate for the Boeing 737 MAX is expected to increase, effective October 2025.
Please share your thoughts on the recent developments at Boeing.
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