US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Boeing has lost its way and has lost the trust of the American people, while on a visit to the manufacturer's facility in Seattle on March 14, 2025.
This visit to Boeing comes after the Transportation Secretary announced last month that he would visit the manufacturer himself, in order to evaluate measures that have been implemented to ensure Boeing's planes meet safety standards.
Talking to Fox News, Duffy commented: “They (Boeing) have to take a look at how they are manufacturing. They have to take a look at their quality and get it up to a place where the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the American people, and the airlines feel like they’re producing incredibly safe airplanes.”
He also pointed out that in recent years, Boeing had prioritised quarterly reports and shareholders over aircraft quality, emphasising that without safety, the company has no future.
Duffy added that it was “heartening” to hear how employees at the company’s Renton facility knew that the quality of aircraft produced there needed to improve.
When asked by Fox News if restrictions on the number of planes produced by Boeing would be lifted, Duffy said that both Boeing and the FAA are “not there yet”, but he will continue to watch and analyse the manufacturers progress.
In early 2024, then FAA chief Mike Whitaker set a monthly production cap of 38 on the 737 MAX jets after a door plug missing four key bolts flew off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, shortly after it departed Portland.
Duffy stated that US President Donald Trump is keen to loosen these restrictions, when it is “appropriate” to do so.
During February, Boeing delivered 44 aircraft, up from 27 that were delivered during the same month of the year prior. Of these 44 aircraft, 32 were 737 MAXs to customers including Air India, Ryanair and AerCap.