Boeing's production plans shift and are influenced by many factors, the people cautioned. Suppliers are grappling with labor and materials shortages and weakened balance sheets following the overlapping pandemic and 737 MAX safety grounding crises. Boeing said in late January it was working to clear an inventory of 335 737 MAX airplanes amassed following two fatal crashes of the jet that grounded the plane for 20 months. Boeing declined to comment on its production plans and referred to its last public statements. A rate of 47 aircraft per month is five shy of its build rate in 2019, when the 737 MAX was grounded.

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