FAA Allows Boeing to Resume Issuing Airworthiness Certificates for 737 MAX and 787

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced that, effective 20 July 2026, Boeing will again be authorized to issue airworthiness certificates for all newly built 737 MAX and 787 aircraft. The change follows an eight‑month trial in which Boeing and the FAA alternated certification duties, with the agency’s data showing no significant difference in production quality between the two processes.

The FAA will keep heightened oversight, including inspections, audits, and monitoring of Boeing’s production system, safety management system and engineering compliance. The authority had been withdrawn in 2019 after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes and was also suspended for the 787 in 2022. The decision comes after a 2024 Alaska Airlines incident that renewed scrutiny of Boeing’s manufacturing practices.

Regulators say the move reflects restored confidence in Boeing’s quality controls while maintaining close regulatory supervision of the manufacturer’s ongoing production activities.