Boeing Cleared in 737 Max Fraud Lawsuit
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has been found not liable in a fraud lawsuit related to the 737 MAX. The case was brought by Polish airline LOT Polish Airlines, which accused Boeing of ‘concealing safety issues with the 737 MAX’s flight control system’.
LOT alleged Boeing concealed critical changes to the single-aisle aircraft’s flight system, which were later linked to the fatal Lion Air crash in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines crash in 2019. The two disasters claimed 346 lives and led to a global grounding of the 737 MAX fleet for 20 months, from March 2019 to November 2020.
In the initial lawsuit, LOT sought US$250 million (Rp4.43 trillion) in compensation for lost revenue due to the suspension of operations. The airline also claimed an additional US$153 million (Rp2.71 trillion) in damages.
Citing Reuters on Monday (25 May 2026), the US District Court jury in Seattle ruled Boeing was not liable for LOT’s losses on Friday local time. The jury took just three hours to deliberate.
‘We are pleased with the jury’s ruling in our favour today,’ a Boeing spokesperson said.
LOT acknowledged the court’s decision but reserved the right to appeal. ‘As the legal process may not yet be concluded, LOT will not comment further on the details of the proceedings at this stage,’ the company stated.
The 737 MAX scandal shook the global aviation industry. Following the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, Boeing acknowledged that the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) contributed to both incidents.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) eventually permitted the 737 MAX to return to service in November 2020, following Boeing’s updates to the MCAS system.
Other Lawsuits Against Boeing
Despite winning the LOT case, Boeing still faces multiple claims from families of 737 MAX crash victims. Most cases have been settled out of court.
Earlier this month, a US jury ordered Boeing to pay US$49.5 million (Rp806.85 billion) to the family of Samya Stumo, a 24-year-old Ethiopian Airlines crash victim.
In November, another jury ruled Boeing must pay US$28.45 million (Rp463.74 billion) to the widower of a MAX crash victim. A separate trial involving Irish victim Michael Ryan is scheduled for 3 August.
In addition to civil lawsuits, Boeing previously faced criminal charges related to the 737 MAX crashes. However, in November, a US judge dismissed these criminal charges as part of a settlement with federal prosecutors.