- President Donald Trump said in a tweet Monday that Boeing should fix, add features to, and rebrand its 737 Max planes after two deadly crashes.
- Boeing is building a software update for the planes and is making additional safety features standard.
- It has not outlined planes to rebrand the 737 Max.
- “What do I know about branding, maybe nothing (but I did become President!),” Trump tweeted.
- Boeing’s reputation and stock have taken a hit after two disasters involving the 737 Max, and its CEO has apologized while pledging to win back travelers’ trust.
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President Donald Trump has advised Boeing to fix its 737 Max jets, add new features, and rebrand the plane model after it was involved in two deadly crashes in five months.
“What do I know about branding, maybe nothing (but I did become President!), but if I were Boeing, I would FIX the Boeing 737 MAX, add some additional great features, & REBRAND the plane with a new name,” Trump tweeted early Monday.
“No product has suffered like this one. But again, what the hell do I know?” added Trump, who campaigned for president by presenting himself as a shrewd businessman and negotiator.
What do I know about branding, maybe nothing (but I did become President!), but if I were Boeing, I would FIX the Boeing 737 MAX, add some additional great features, & REBRAND the plane with a new name.
No product has suffered like this one. But again, what the hell do I know?— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019
Boeing is already working on a fix to the planes, creating a software update meant to address problems with the plane’s automated MCAS anti-stall software.
Preliminary reports into two fatal crashes that together killed just under 350 people - a Lion Air crash in October and an Ethiopian Airlines crash in March - found that in both cases the MCAS software did not work correctly. Boeing's CEO has apologized for both crashes.
The 737 Max planes are expected to remain grounded around the world until the US Federal Aviation Administration and its equivalent regulators in other countries approve the fix.
Boeing will also standardize safety features that were previously optional extras on the planes, The New York Times reported.
Boeing has not outlined any plans to rebrand the plane, as Trump suggested.
The aviation giant's reputation and stock have taken a hit after the two disasters, and airlines are canceling flights into the summer as they wait for an update on the new 737 Max software. Its CEO has pledged to "earn and re-earn" the trust of the flying public.
- Read more about the Boeing 737 Max crashes:
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Boeing's problems are mounting and things are going to get worse before they get better