Overview
- Boeing says it has finished all certification flight testing for the MAX 10 and is working through documentation with the FAA, though the agency has not yet granted approval.
- Alaska Airlines told Reuters it expects FAA certification by the end of September 2026 and plans its first MAX 10 delivery in spring 2027 with passenger service between April and mid‑May.
- The MAX 10’s long delay followed tighter oversight after two 2018–19 MAX crashes and later technical fixes, notably a redesigned engine anti‑ice system that had overheating risks.
- A January 2024 incident in which a door plug separated from an Alaska Airlines MAX 9 heightened FAA scrutiny of Boeing’s manufacturing and quality controls and added time to certification.
- The MAX 10 is Boeing’s largest single‑aisle 737 with up to 230 seats and a large order book from carriers such as Alaska (105 firm) and Ryanair (150 firm), making certification commercially important for airline capacity plans and Boeing’s competition with Airbus.