Boeing sticks to targets, vows safety focus

STORY: Boeing has faced turmoil following the midair blowout on one of its 737 MAX jets. But the aerospace giant is determined to sound bullish. Reporting results Wednesday, the firm declined to give a forecast for this year, saying it just had to focus on delivering quality airplanes. However, it said it would stand by financial and production targets set for future years. It’s confident that output of its best-selling MAX jets will still hit 50 per month over 2025-26. That’s despite U.S. watchdogs vetoing plans to raise production right now. The outlook cheered investors, sending Boeing shares over 6% higher. But safety remains a concern, following apparent quality control issues at the company and its suppliers. Chief executive Dave Calhoun has vowed to regain the trust of regulators, travellers and customers. But he knows the company faces scrutiny at the highest levels. On Wednesday, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said Washington was watching: “You know, obviously we're concerned. We want to put American safety. We put American safety first.”Most of the 171 MAX jets that were grounded after the blowout have now returned to service. But the drama could mean delays in certifying new versions of the plane, which is Boeing’s cash cow. That could see it lose more ground to European rival Airbus, which already has a big lead in narrowbody jets. On Wednesday, Boeing reported a fourth-quarter loss of 47 cents per share, beating analyst forecasts.