KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Aviation Group confirms the delay of Malaysia Airlines Bhd's first Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, saying it is due to the US aircraft maker's supply chain hitch.
MAG group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said fortunately, it was not a safety concern but it had to be addressed to avoid potential issues in the future. The aircraft was supposed to be delivered on Aug 28.
"We're truly disappointed. We're working very closely with Boeing and our aircraft lessor, which is the main lessor, Air Lease Corporation (ALC)," he said, adding that the new delivery timing of the aircraft is yet to be confirmed.
The B737 MAX 8 aircraft was supposed to be the first new aircraft type that Malaysia Airlines would receive after five years. The airline had ordered a total of 25 of the narrow-body jet in 2016.
Izham said MAG does not expect further delays of the subsequent 24 aircraft as it believes very strongly that Boeing would be able to fix the issue.
Boeing previously told the New Straits Times (NST) last week that it had identified fastener holes that did not conform to its specifications in the aft pressure bulkhead on certain B737 aircraft.
"This is not an immediate safety flight issue for the 737 fleet, which can continue operating safely."
"This issue will impact near-term 737 deliveries as we conduct inspections to determine the number of airplanes affected and complete required rework on those airplanes," a Boeing spokesperson said.
The American plane manufacturer added that it was working through the issue with its supplier and continues to deliver the B737 aircraft that are not affected.
The B737 MAX 8 was one of the best-selling passenger aircraft until it was grounded on March 13, 2019 by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following the two major accidents that claimed 346 lives in the span of five months.
In 2019, former US president Donald Trump announced that both the B737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft were grounded, making these as the only aircraft type in history to be grounded by a US president.
China was the first country to completely stop flying the B737 MAX 8 in March 2019 followed by Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, France, Italy and the Netherlands.
However in January this year, China Southern Airlines became the first Chinese carrier to start operating two B737 MAX 8 following the nod by the FAA for the aircraft type to resume service in late 2020.
The green light was given after Boeing made a series of software upgrades and training changes.