Boeing and Airbus:
The First Stage of Recovery — December 2021

Both Boeing and Airbus still have to fully confront the financial and strategic weaknesses that the Covid-19 crisis exposed. But they have survived the worst.

For Boeing the MAX situation appears to be under control. At the end of 2020 the FAA recertified the 737 MAX, followed by EASA and the other regulatory authorities, with the exception of China — a very significant exception given that around 25% of the parked MAX fleet is destined for that country. In December the CAAC issued an Airworthiness Directive which should lead to full recertification early in 2022, but there is the possibility that any deterioration in Sino-US relations will cause more delay.