While many of the initial mass storage issues from the 2019 grounding have been resolved, the number of undelivered 737 MAXs changes with ongoing production, certifications (especially for the MAX 7 & 10), and airline orders, with hundreds in the backlog (around 4,700+ total orders) and significant numbers for airlines like Southwest, awaiting final certification for variants like the MAX 7 and 10 to clear delivery hurdles as of late 2025/early 2026.
As of November 2025, Boeing has delivered 2,076 aircraft and held orders for 4,774 more. The MAX 8 is the most widely ordered variant, while the MAX 7 and MAX 10 have not yet received FAA certification, and the agency has not provided a timeline for their approval.
The Boeing 737 MAX passenger airliner was grounded worldwide between March 2019 and December 2020 after 346 people died in two similar crashes in less than five months, and briefly in January 2024 following a dangerous in-flight incident. 346 total: 189 on Lion Air Flight 610. 157 on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.
Boeing delivered 157 planes in 2020 as its 737 Max crisis was exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. Customers canceled orders for more than 600 of the company's jetliners.
If you are now scheduled on a MAX, call the airline and tell them you want to be rebooked on another flight. Some airlines will allow you to do this at no cost, whereas others might charge a fee. If they insist on charging a fee, then we recommend you escalate your complaint to a more senior airline employee.
Hong Kong: The Civil Aviation Department banned the operation of all 737 MAX aircraft into, out of and over Hong Kong. Panama: The Civil Aviation Authority grounded its aircraft. Vietnam: The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam banned Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from flying over Vietnam.
The 3:1 rule in aviation is a rule of thumb for descent planning: for every 1,000 feet of altitude to lose, you need 3 nautical miles (NM) of horizontal distance, assuming a standard 3-degree glide path, making it easy to calculate when to start descending. For example, to descend 6,000 feet, a pilot starts descending 18 NM out (6 x 3 = 18). It helps maintain a consistent descent rate, critical for passenger comfort in older planes and for fuel efficiency in modern jets, and aligns with standard approach systems like ILS/VASI.
In contrast, the original Boeing 737 models, which were in service for 12-13 years, account for approximately 63% of all fatal accidents in the 737 series.
✈️ Full-Service Airlines (No 737 MAX in Operation)
In 2019, Airbus displaced Boeing as the largest aerospace company by revenue. In October 2019, the A320 family became the highest-selling airliner family with 15,193 orders, surpassing the Boeing 737's total of 15,136. In 2023, the number of Airbus aircraft in service surpassed Boeing for the first time.
According to 2024 data, Airbus has a slightly better safety record than Boeing. Boeing's crash rate is 1.7 times higher than Airbus, and recent issues with the 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner have affected public trust. The Airbus A320 family also has a lower fatality rate compared to the Boeing 737.
On this day August 16 1987, Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashed after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, killing 154 of the 155 people on board and two on the ground. The sole survivor was 4 year old Cecelia Cichan, whose rescue became one of the most remarkable survival stories in aviation history.
Yes, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 is considered safe by global aviation regulators, having been re-certified after significant software and design fixes, mandatory pilot training updates, and extensive testing, though some passengers still choose to avoid it for personal peace of mind. The fixes addressed the MCAS software, ensuring pilots have ultimate control and the system activates less frequently with more reliable sensor data, making it safer than before, according to Boeing and Singapore Airlines.
The deaths of Barnett and Dean prompted more than 10 new whistleblowers from Boeing and Spirit to come forward with similar allegations.
Left: Boeing 777 – a widebody, long-haul beast with two massive engines and wide wingspan. Right: Boeing 737 – a narrow-body, short to medium-haul workhorse. 🛩️ You can clearly see the wider fuselage, larger wings, and engine scale of the 777 dominating the stand!
Virgin Australia and fledgling budget startup Bonza currently operate the Max 8 aircraft, and are expecting to take delivery of more in coming months and years as airlines look to become more fuel-efficient for cost and environmental reasons. Bonza has six planes in its fleet, all of which are Max 8 aircraft.
Boeing 737 Max jets were grounded worldwide between March 2019 and late 2020 after the two catastrophic crashes involving the Max 8 model.
Qatar Airways operates a fleet of both narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, consisting of the Airbus A320 family, Airbus A330, Airbus A350 XWB, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner families, totaling 266 aircraft.
The most fatalities in any aviation accident in history occurred at Tenerife North–Ciudad de La Laguna Airport (then Los Rodeos Airport) in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, on 27 March 1977, when a KLM Boeing 747-206B and a Pan Am Boeing 747-121 collided on a runway, killing 583 people.
As of February 2024, there have been a total of 529 aviation accidents and incidents involving all 737 aircraft (not all are notable enough for inclusion on this list), which have resulted in a total of 5,779 fatalities and 234 hull losses.
As of January 2026, a total of 65 Boeing 747 aircraft, or just above 4% of the total number of 747 built, have been involved in accidents and incidents resulting in a hull loss, meaning that the aircraft was either destroyed or damaged beyond economical repair since the type was first flown commercially in 1970.
For single-pilot, the maximum duty period is generally 8 hours. For two-pilot, the maximum duty period is up to 14 hours, depending on start time. The FAA acknowledges that initiating a duty period late at night or very early morning raises fatigue risk.
Yes, for airport security purposes, toothpaste is classified as a liquid, aerosol, or gel (LAG) and must follow the 100ml/3.4oz container rule in carry-on bags, even though it's a paste that holds its shape. This rule applies to all similar items like creams, gels, and sprays, requiring them to fit in a single, clear, resealable plastic bag for screening.