
The Federal Aviation Administration issued an order Wednesday that paved the way for the troubled Boeing 737 Max to carry passengers again, ending the jet’s 20-month grounding.
The plane, the best-selling jet in Boeing’s (BA) fleet, was grounded in March 2019 after two fatal crashes that killed 346 people. It was discovered that a safety feature meant to stop the plane from climbing too fast and stalling had improperly forced the nose of the plane down, causing the crashes.
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according to Chris isidore of CNN Business reporter, the process of approving the plane to carry passengers has stretched on far longer than originally expected and cost Boeing more than $20 billion, according to the company. Lost orders for the jet during that time could make it among the most expensive mistakes of all time ever made by a company.
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Although approval was expected this week, Boeing (BA) shares rose in morning trading, but then closed lower, along with stock market on concerns a rise in Covid-19 cases.