Boeing’s 737 Max comeback nears with United delivery, Gol flight

Boeing is closing in on two key milestones in the comeback of its 737 Max, according to people familiar with the matter: the jet’s return to regular service and the first delivery since US regulators lifted a 20-month grounding. United is expected to receive the first Max delivery since the flying ban was imposed in March 2019 after two deadly crashes, said the people, who asked not to be named because the talks are confidential. The plans are in flux and American Airlines Group may get the initial handover instead, they said, as Boeing seeks to start unlocking delivery payments. In another boost for the planemaker, Brazil’s Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes said it will resume commercial flights with the Max on Dec. 10, more than two weeks before American reintroduces the jet to US travelers. Grupo Aeromexico and Panama’s Copa Holdings are also planning flights soon. The moves will enable Boeing to start cranking up its once-mighty commercial juggernaut, the 737 program, now that regulators in the US, Europe and Brazil have endorsed software revisions and new pilot-training curriculum for the Max. The manufacturer is also poised to score a follow-on order for the embattled plane from one of its largest customers, Ryanair Holdings, as soon as Thursday. “We continue to work closely with global regulators and our customers to safely return the airplane to service,” said Jessica Kowal, a Boeing spokeswoman. United intends to take delivery of eight of the jets this month, a spokesman said. In Panama, Copa expects to start flying at least two of its Max aircraft before year-end, executives said during an earnings call on Nov. 19. The company said at the time that it needed about two weeks to complete maintenance on planes coming out of storage.<br/>