(Illustration) Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAXs are parked on the tarmac after being immobilized at Southern California Logistics airport in Victorville, California, in March 2019. - AFP

The Boeing 737 MAX will not fly before mid-2020, the American aircraft manufacturer announced on Tuesday, several months behind its own hopes and the experts' most optimistic forecasts.

"We are in the process of informing our customers and our subcontractors that we currently believe that the lifting of the ban on the 737 MAX will not begin until mid-2020," said the giant in Seattle (west). in a press release, confirming information from AFP.

Safety first

A little earlier, an aeronautical source had indicated on condition of anonymity that the MAX could not fly before June, even July. This postponement was not due, she said, to a "new problem", but to the risks attached to the approval procedure by the civil aviation authorities and possible new developments in this crisis, explained a little more late Boeing.

"It is also because of the rigorous examination that the civil aviation authorities apply, and with good reason, at each stage of the inspection" of the plane, underlined the aeronautical manufacturer. The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) said it had not yet set a timetable: "The FAA's priority is safety," said the airline regulator in a statement.

Boeing had initially hoped that the MAX would return to service in "a few weeks" after grounding, but had to give up its optimism in the face of calls to regulators. He still hoped recently that his star plane would fly in late February-early March.

Stock market and industry concerns

The first information on the extension of the MAX flight ban dropped the Boeing share by more than 5% and led to its temporary suspension around 19:12 GMT on Wall Street. When the quotation resumed around forty minutes later, the stock was still down, by 4.75% around 8:06 p.m. GMT.

This announcement is a real headache for the airlines since they will not be able to count on the MAX during the high season of major summer trips. Once the flight ban has been lifted, the airlines need at least one to two months to prepare the planes and ensure they operate normally, they warned. American Airlines, United and Southwest had canceled flights on the MAX until early June, and should therefore review this schedule.

346 dead and $ 9.2 billion bill

The Boeing 737 MAX, flagship aircraft, has been grounded since March 13 after two close accidents that killed 346 people. The MCAS anti-stall system has been questioned and Boeing is currently working on changes required by the regulators. Other problems, including one relating to the part verifying the proper functioning of this software at startup, have been detected and the appropriate training for pilots has still not been decided.

Boeing, which had originally hoped to return to service in "a few weeks" after grounding, had to suspend deliveries and production of the MAX. The bill currently stands at $ 9.2 billion but is expected to climb, say financial analysts, who estimate a shortfall of $ 1 billion a day.

The aircraft manufacturer is currently seeking to borrow at least $ 10 billion to meet rising costs, including compensation to airlines and subcontractors and compensation for the families of the victims.

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