FAA probes Boeing 737 MAX software glitch in landing scenarios

Southwest, United decline new MAX jets with flawed software

Boeing learned of the 737 MAX software glitch from one of its operators in November 2024, but the issue initially did not appear to meet the company’s criteria for a formal safety review. After Boeing later shared the information with airlines and gathered more feedback, the company opened a formal safety review this month and shared its results with the FAA.

The glitch emerged from a cockpit software update and can occur when flight crews alter their planned flight path following a missed approach. In a specific scenario, pilots may have to fly manually without some autopilot functions, an outcome industry officials said could overwork pilots at low altitude and possibly in bad weather.

Boeing notified 737 MAX operators in late August about the glitch, telling them it did not pose a safety risk, according to a company document viewed by The Wall Street Journal. “We shared information with operators that reinforced existing pilot procedures for safely handling such cases,” Boeing said. “Our engineers are working on a software update to permanently address the issue.” The company said it expected to issue more guidance by November and roll out a permanent software fix in early 2028, though it is working to accelerate both timelines.

Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have told Boeing they do not want to receive new 737 MAX planes equipped with the flawed software and instead requested an earlier version, according to industry officials. The issue is a particular complication for Southwest, which has been waiting years for the smallest version of the Boeing narrow-body, the MAX 7, and had planned to start flying them next year.

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest and United operate 737 MAX aircraft, but the airlines said none of their planes are flying with the flawed software. Industry officials said Boeing advised airlines they can revert to an older software version. It was not immediately clear how many 737 MAX jets might be flying with the flawed software; airlines are not required to inform Boeing if they upgrade their software. There are 2,422 of Boeing’s 737 MAX 8 and 9 models currently flying around the world, according to aviation-data firm Cirium.

The FAA is investigating the issue and will take action if needed, a senior agency official said. The agency’s probe could affect the certification of Boeing’s newest 737 variants if regulators determine the glitch amounts to an unsafe condition that needs to be addressed. The FAA approved the MAX 7 for passenger service last month with the new software, the senior agency official said. Boeing Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg has said recently that he expects regulators to soon approve the MAX 10.

The Canadian airline WestJet took a different view. “This is not considered a safety issue, we have standard operating procedures and training to mitigate this type of event,” the airline said. GE Aerospace, which developed the software in question, said it is working closely with Boeing and will support the FAA’s evaluation.

U.S. carriers including Delta, United, American and Alaska have MAX 10 jets on order with Boeing. Under federal regulations, newly produced aircraft must conform to the design approved during FAA certification. It was not clear whether the jets could eventually be loaded with older software. Southwest said it was aware of the issue and is engaged with Boeing and the FAA.

The episode comes against a backdrop of intense scrutiny of Boeing since fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people. In those crashes, a flawed Boeing flight-control system known as MCAS repeatedly pushed down the airplanes’ noses, and flight crews were unable to regain control of the jets before they entered terminal dives. The crashes led to the plane’s nearly two-year grounding and resulted in eventual Boeing fixes that added safeguards to the flight-control system. The episode also spawned industry and FAA efforts to better understand how pilots with a range of experience, training and skills respond to problems during flights.