Boeing says that it expects deliveries of some of its 737 Max planes to be delayed, as the planemaker looks to address a wiring problem. 

According to The New York Times, Boeing reported finding small scratches on wires due to a "machining error." The number of planes with the issue was not specified, and the company believes that repairs should only take a few days to finish for each aircraft. Boeing also doesn't believe that any planes being flown right now are affected by the wiring problem.

Moving forward, the company expects to see some near-term delivery delays that could affect its first quarter totals for 2026. However, Boeing has not adjusted its 737 Max production rate, and the planemaker says it intends to stick to its full-year target of 500 737 deliveries. Boeing delivered 51 planes in February, marking its highest total for that month since 2017.

Boeing faced criticism for poor quality controls and rushed work at its factories following the blowout of a door plug aboard a 737 Max in January 2024. In the wake of a lengthy investigation, the Federation Aviation Administration capped Boeing's monthly production at 38 planes, before raising that cap to 42 in October 2025. The latest wiring issue raises new concerns, although the Times reports that airlines have seen a marked improvement in the quality of newly-delivered planes since Boeing made sweeping changes to its safety procedures and supplier practices.