Passenger stigma about flying on the Boeing 737 Max, which was involved in two fatal accidents in 2018 and 2019, has now “largely dissipated” and pilots are also confident in the aircraft, the executive chairman of Air Lease Corporation has said. “We have… been pleased with developments of the 737 Max in terms of performance and reliability since resumption of deliveries,” says Steven Udvar-Hazy during a 17 February earnings call. "Our airline customers have been giving us good reports. As such, it should be no surprise that lease rates on 737s are recovering, and the forward demand profile is robust. We believe that any passenger stigma has largely dissipated, and confidence has returned to the pilot community." Udvar-Hazy notes that ALC's deliveries of new Max orders span 2024 to 2026, a period during which he says Airbus is "virtually sold out on the single-aisle Neo programme". "So we believe that Air Lease is in an excellent position to be able to offer both Boeing and Airbus single-aisle solutions from our orderbook in those critical years ahead as the airline industry recovery accelerates strongly," he says. ALC recently announced it had secured long-term leases for 25 new 737 Max 8 jets with Malaysia Aircraft Group, parent of Malaysia Airlines Berhad. An additional benefit, Udvar-Hazy goes on to say in the earnings call, is that ALC’s forward Max lease programmes are not dependent on placement in Russia or China, which have yet to recertify the Max. Udvar-Hazy's comments came as the lessor reported net income available to common stockholders for the fourth quarter of 2021 of $142 million, up 32.7% on 2020’s fourth quarter. This was on fourth-quarter revenues of $597 million, up 22.1% on 2020’s corresponding quarter. For the full year ended 31 December 2021, ALC reported net income available to common stockholders of $408 million, down 18.6% on the year prior. Revenues rose 3% in 2021 to $2.09 billion.

The US Federal Aviation Administration intends to issue airworthiness certificates for each new Boeing 787 prior to delivery, thereby retaining powers to conduct final inspections of newly built jets that were previously delegated to the airframer. “This will allow the agency to confirm the effectiveness of measures Boeing has undertaken to improve the 787 manufacturing process,” the FAA says. Boeing halted deliveries of 787s for most of 2021. The airframer continues to co-ordinate with the FAA both on quality inspections and re-work necessary to resolve manufacturing issues. No update has been provided when deliveries could resume. Once 787 deliveries begin again, the regulator says it will retain power to grant airworthiness certificates for new aircraft until “Boeing’s quality control and manufacturing processes consistently produce 787s that meet FAA design standards”. For Boeing to resume final inspections prior to 787 deliveries, the FAA adds that the airframer must prove it has “a robust plan for the re-work that it must perform on a large volume of new 787s in storage” and that its “delivery processes are stable”. Boeing tells Cirium “we respect the FAA’s role as our regulator and we will continue to work transparently through their detailed and rigorous processes. “Safety is the top priority for everyone in our industry,” Boeing adds. “To that end, we will continue to engage with the FAA to ensure we meet their expectations and all applicable requirements.” The FAA says it additionally conducts final inspections for newly built 737 Max aircraft prior to granting approval for them to be delivered to customers. Boeing delivered 245 Max aircraft during 2021. During the fourth quarter 2021, Boeing took a pre-tax charge of $3.5 billion related to the 787 programme amid required re-work on aircraft and delivery delays. Boeing predicts an additional $2 billion in costs related to the 787 programme by the end of 2023. In January, Boeing chief executive David Calhoun said: “The work we’re putting in now will build stability and predictability going forward.

The Swedish ministry of infrastructure has appointed a former minister to look at options for developing the capacity of Stockholm Arlanda airport, as the government looks to decommission Bromma airport. The government needs to secure sufficient flight capacity in order to make the decommissioning possible, the ministry says in a 15 February statement. With this in mind it has appointed Peter Norman, a Swedish economist who served as minister for financial markets from 2010 to 2014 in the government of Fredrik Reinfeldt. Bromma is the country's third largest airport - though far smaller than Stockholm’s primary Arlanda airport - and handled 2.4 million passengers in 2019 on predominantly domestic routes. The plan to be developed is expected to ensure sufficient flight capacity in the Stockholm area, with good accessibility for domestic flights at Arlanda, and be in line with the climate goals, the ministry says. The investigator is also expected to consider the assessments and proposals that Bromma investigator Magnus Persson presented in August 2021. The deadline to submit the assignment is 15 June, the statement reads.