Boeing 737 MAX unlikely to fly again before middle of summer, International Air Transport Association chief says, as China carriers estimate losses could hit US$580 million

The Boeing plane grounded worldwide after two crashes killed 346 people is unlikely to return to service until at least August, the aviation trade body has said.

A return to service for the 737 MAX was “a minimum” of 10 to 12 weeks away, Alexandre de Juniac, CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said, speaking to reporters on Wednesday ahead of an annual gathering of industry leaders in Seoul this weekend.

The upgraded version of Boeing’s bestselling plane was pulled from the skies in March after being involved in crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia five months apart.

Boeing has rushed to fix issues with the plane’s flight control system but regulators worldwide, previously making coordinated decisions, have opted for different paths to approve the MAX’s return to service.

“As safety is the key, critical issue in this problem, we have to find the appropriate compromise between what has to be done to ensure this aircraft can safely re-enter into service,” de Juniac said, adding the final decision on the planes’ return was in the hands of the regulator.