ANA inspecting Boeing 737 MAX prior to delivery

ANA inspecting Boeing 737 MAX prior to delivery

Major Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways has been inspecting Boeing's 737 MAX airliner ahead of the start of deliveries in December.

ANA inspectors are at the Boeing factory in the US state of Washington, checking whether the airplane meets strict quality standards.

Boeing says the flight range of the 737 MAX series is roughly 1,000 kilometers longer than the conventional 737 models, and fuel efficiency is about 15 percent better.

In 2024, a panel sealing an unused emergency exit on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX blew off during a flight.

Boeing has been trying to improve safety by managing its production speed.

Kirisawa Naoya, a quality control official with ANA, said, "We have told Boeing what we have noticed about the production process, and product quality has improved. We will cooperate with Boeing to facilitate the delivery of better aircraft."

ANA says it will continue regular on-site quality inspections. The carrier plans to introduce up to 42 of the 737 MAX for domestic use.

Rival Japan Airlines plans to follow suit by next March. Skymark Airlines started using the plane in May.