Airlines pull some Boeing 737 MAX jets after production snag

Airlines pulled dozens of 737 MAX jets from service on April 9 after Boeing Co warned them of a possible electrical insulation fault in the recent production of some planes.

The glitch is the latest problem to beset Boeing's most-sold model but is not related to computer design problems that contributed to a 20-month safety ban in the wake of two crashes. Regulators said the new problem involved the electrical grounding or connections designed to maintain safety in the event of a surge of voltage inside a backup power control system.

Boeing told airlines a fix could take hours or a few days per airplane. United States Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said regulators wanted to ensure "full confidence" in the planes forced to halt flights on Friday, before they could fly again.

Shares in Boeing fell around 1.4 percent as most analysts told investors the issue was unlikely to cause lengthy disruption. The issue affects about 90 planes globally, sources briefed on the matter said. That compares with 453 delivered since the plane first went into service, based on data up to end-February. Boeing said a total of 16 operators were affected.