Lion Air ponders cancelling Boeing jets in row over crash-sources

Lion Air is reviewing airplane purchases from Boeing and has not ruled out cancelling orders as relations worsen in a spat over responsibility for a 737 jetliner crash in late October. Co-founder Rusdi Kirana is furious over what he regards as attempts by Boeing to deflect attention from recent design changes and blame Lion Air for the crash, while the airline faces scrutiny over its maintenance record and pilots' actions. Kirana is examining the possibility of cancelling remaining orders of Boeing jets "from the next delivery," according to a person familiar with his thinking. No final decision has been made, but discussion over the fate of US$22b of remaining orders highlights the stakes surrounding an investigation involving Boeing’s fastest-ever selling jet, the 737 MAX, which entered service last year. <br/>