Trump says Boeing should fix, 'rebrand' grounded 737 MAX jet

[April 15, 2019]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday urged Boeing Co to fix and "rebrand" its troubled 737 MAX jetliner following two fatal crashes even as U.S. regulators continued to work with the planemaker and airlines regarding the now-grounded aircraft.

An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington, U.S. March 21, 2019. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson

The Federal Aviation Administration has been meeting with representatives from American Airlines Group Inc, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines Co over the next steps after more than 300 Boeing 737 MAXs were grounded worldwide.

FAA officials have also convened a joint review with aviation regulators from other countries, while federal prosecutors, the U.S. Department of Transportation inspector general's office and a blue-ribbon panel are reviewing the plane's certification.

In an early-morning post on Twitter, Trump, who owned the Trump Shuttle airline from 1989 to 1992 and is an aviation enthusiast, weighed in with his own advice.

"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?" Trump tweeted.

The plane's grounding has also threatened the U.S. summer travel season, with some airlines removing the 737 from their schedules through August and canceling a number of scheduled flights.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Jeffrey Ben koe)

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