New York (AFP)

Boeing announced Tuesday a second firm two-day order of 737 MAX, a signal that the crisis in which this model has plunged it for more than eight months is stabilizing despite a new legal complaint.

The American aircraft manufacturer, for whom the MAX is a flagship product, has received an order for 20 aircraft in the 737 MAX family, valued at $ 2.3 billion at list price, from an airline unidentified.

Monday, the first day of the Dubai International Air Show, the Turkish company SunExpress had placed a firm order for 10 planes 737 MAX, for $ 1.2 billion at list price.

The list could still grow if the Kazakh airline Air Astana confirms in the coming months its intention on Tuesday to acquire 30 Boeing 737 MAX.

The airline group IAG (British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus), which had announced its "intention" to acquire 200 737 MAX 8, for $ 24 billion (list price) in June, still has not converted this will into firm order, based on Boeing's October 31 trade data.

According to industry sources, discussions are continuing between the two parties.

- Boeing in front of Southwest -

Boeing has agreed, according to these sources, to grant discounts to these companies to encourage them to buy the MAX, grounded since mid-March after two close accidents resulting in 346 deaths, which triggered the worst crisis in the world. history of civil aviation.

"Things are going in the right direction now," said Michel Merluzeau, expert at Air Insight Research, while Richard Aboulafia (Teal Group) believes that firm orders "show that things seem to stabilize."

The two experts note, however, that the configuration of the aeronautical market with an Airbus Boeing duopoly leaves airlines with little choice.

"Imagine two airlines, one that orders MAXs today and another that buys Airbus, the first could receive its aircraft next year while the second should wait three to four years to deliver his own", explains Richard Aboulafia.

Airbus has an order book filled and produced at high rates, so that suppliers may not follow further increases in production levels, subscribes Mr. Merluzeau.

A 737 MAX from Lion Air crashed on October 29, 2018 in the Java Sea in Indonesia a few minutes after takeoff. A little more than five months later another 737 MAX crashed south-east of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia under similar circumstances.

Various investigations have called into question the MCAS automatic system, supposed to prevent the plane from landing in flight. The pilots did not know about it since it was not in the flight manuals.

The investigations also revealed major dysfunctions in the development of the MAX, as in its certification process.

Boeing, which has already lost tens of billions of dollars and suspended shipments after the MAX has been shut down, faces victims 'complaints and US authorities' investigations.

A new judicial front opened with the filing of a complaint by a US shareholder, The Kirby Family Partnership, who accuses the board of ignoring alarms during the development of the aircraft and after the accident of Lion Air.

The council's inaction has affected the company "with a loss of market credibility, a tarnished reputation and billions of dollars in costs and liability," Kirby lashes out.

Asked by AFP, Boeing did not wish to comment.

The manufacturer will present Wednesday to the board of the American Southwest Airlines, the first client of the MAX with 34 copies at the time of the prohibition of theft, its schedule of return to service and resumption of deliveries of the aircraft, has said Tuesday to AFP a spokeswoman for the airline.

Southwest built its business model and development around the 737 MAX. Tired of uncertainties surrounding the plane's return to the sky and after thousands of flights canceled until March, its CEO, Gary Kelly, has recently threatened to buy Airbus.

Boeing is working on software changes and proper training for pilots to get a lift from the MAX flight ban, which is not expected in the sky at least until January 2020.

"The worst of the crisis will not be over until the FAA (the Federal Aviation Agency) allows the plane to fly again," warns Lee Hamilton's Scott Hamilton.

© 2019 AFP