Boeing considers 737 revamp to ward off competition

EVERETT — The Boeing Co. isn’t backing down from the 737 MAX despite stiff competition from rival Airbus’ A320neo, Boeing chief executive and president Dennis Muilenburg said Monday.

Airbus’ single-aisle A321neo has dominated Boeing’s 737 MAX 9, which has won about one order for every five A321neo orders. Airbus went to market first, but the MAX 9, the biggest of the re-engined 737s, has struggled to close the gap.

“If we need to make an additional move in that space, we’ll be ready,” Muilenburg said at the company’s annual general meeting on Monday, Bloomberg reported.

Bombardier’s smaller CSeries also poses a real threat, which was confirmed last week when Delta Air Lines placed a firm order for 75 of the new jetliner.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president and 737 general manager Kevin Leverkuhn told Flightglobal that the company is considering upgrading the biggest and smallest versions of the 737 MAX.

“The jury is still out,” he told Flightglobal.

Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.

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