Boeing Begins Planning 737 MAX Replacement : Report

(RTTNews) - Boeing Co. (BA) is in the early stages of planning a new single-aisle aircraft intended to succeed the 737 MAX, the Wall Street Journal reported citing sources familiar with the matter. The initiative marks a long-term effort to recover ground lost to rival Airbus following a series of safety and quality challenges.

Earlier this year, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg met with executives from Rolls-Royce Holdings in the U.K. to discuss potential engine options for the new aircraft, report said.

Ortberg also appointed a new senior product chief within Boeing's commercial airplane division, whose previous experience includes developing new aircraft platforms.

The company is currently working on the design of the flight deck for the proposed narrow-body jet. However, the program remains in the preliminary planning phase, and no final decisions have been made, the report said.