China delays restart of 737 Max deliveries amid safety checks

China’s aviation regulator has temporarily halted the restart of 737 Max jet deliveries to the nation, according to a person familiar with the matter, as Boeing Co. grapples with a raft of safety issues. The decision to delay the resumption of 737 Max deliveries was made after Boeing in late December recommended inspections following the discovery by one international airline customer of a bolt with a missing nut while performing routine maintenance, the person said. The delay isn’t linked to the subsequent Alaska Airlines incident where a door plug blew off a different model of Boeing jet mid-flight, the person added, asking not to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly. A representative for the Civil Aviation Administration of China didn’t respond to a request for comment. A Boeing representative in China declined to comment. Boeing has been largely shut out of China’s aviation market this decade, having not handed over any of its 737 Max planes directly to the country since 2019. The 737 Max was grounded globally that year following two fatal crashes. Chinese airlines do not fly the type of aircraft that was involved in the Alaska Air door plug accident.<br/>