Boeing CEO emphasises safety over speed amid 737 MAX scrutiny
April 3, 2025
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg reaffirmed the company’s commitment to safety and quality over production speed during a U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Wednesday. His remarks come in response to heightened scrutiny following a mid-air emergency involving a 737 MAX 9 in early 2024.
“I’m not pressuring the team to go fast. I’m pressuring the team to do it right,” Ortberg stated, emphasising the importance of a measured approach to production. He expressed optimism about resuming the manufacturing of 38 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft per month later this year, with the potential to exceed that number. However, he refrained from setting a firm timeline. “I suspect it will be sometime this year,” he noted.
Airlines, while frustrated with delivery delays, have expressed their support for Boeing’s cautious approach. “They know we’ve got to do this right,” Ortberg added.
The company has faced intense regulatory and public scrutiny following a January 2024 incident where a newly delivered MAX 9 aircraft was found to be missing four critical bolts. This raised significant concerns about Boeing’s safety protocols and quality control. In response, Ortberg assured lawmakers that Boeing has enacted major internal reforms to prevent similar incidents. “We’ve made drastic changes to our internal process to ensure that this will never happen again,” he said.
Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a production cap of 38 aircraft per month on the 737 MAX line. Boeing is currently awaiting FAA approval for two new versions of the MAX series.
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz criticised Boeing’s past safety oversights, stating, “Insufficient oversight of third-party suppliers and a lack of internal auditing created an unsustainable, unsafe culture at Boeing.”
Ortberg acknowledged past failures, admitting that the company had made “serious missteps” but has since implemented “sweeping changes” to address safety concerns.
Beyond the 737 MAX, Ortberg is also expected to face questions regarding Boeing’s delayed Air Force One deliveries, the impact of tariffs, and the status of the company’s criminal case related to previous representations about the MAX program. Boeing remains under legal scrutiny following fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that resulted in 346 deaths.
Ortberg, who took over as CEO in August 2024, succeeded Dave Calhoun, who stepped down in the wake of the January emergency. Calhoun had previously testified before the Senate in July regarding Boeing’s safety culture and ongoing reforms.
The company has also been under fire from government officials. Last month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy asserted that Boeing had “lost the trust of the American people” and called for rigorous oversight in the wake of the MAX 9 incident and prior fatal crashes.
The FAA’s former administrator warned that it could take years to transform Boeing’s corporate culture. Meanwhile, legal proceedings continue as Boeing agreed to plead guilty to criminal fraud conspiracy charges in July 2024, paying at least $243.6 million after violating a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement. A U.S. judge has set a trial date for June 23 following reports that Boeing might seek to withdraw from its plea agreement.
As Boeing navigates these challenges, the company’s ability to restore trust and implement long-term safety reforms remains under intense scrutiny from regulators, lawmakers, and the aviation industry.
