A US jury has ruled that Boeing is not liable for concealing 737 MAX safety issues from LOT Polish Airlines (LOT). The Polish flag carrier had accused the manufacturer of fraud, demanding millions of dollars in damages resulting from the global grounding of the aircraft type.
Verdict in Seattle: Legal Backing for the Manufacturer
The verdict was delivered this Friday in the US District Court in Seattle, following a two-week trial. The jury panel deliberated for three hours before acquitting Boeing of the fraud charges brought forward by the European airline.
LOT formally accused Boeing of acting with intent by concealing a critical modification to the narrowbody aircraft’s flight control systems. This technical change was directly linked to the two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, which triggered a 20-month worldwide grounding of the fleet.
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Financial Impact and LOT Polish Airlines’ Claims
The Polish carrier’s lawsuit sought significant financial compensation to mitigate the operational fallout of the crisis:
- Compensation requested: LOT demanded $153 million in damages.
- Source of losses: The airline argued that this amount was a direct result of the financial and logistical disruptions caused by the grounding of its aircraft.
Official Statements Following the Legal Ruling
Upon learning of the court’s decision, a Boeing spokesperson expressed the aerospace giant’s satisfaction: “We are gratified by the jury’s verdict in our favor today.”
Meanwhile, LOT Polish Airlines issued a statement acknowledging the judicial outcome but left the door open to appeal the decision in higher courts. The airline noted that, because the legal process may not be formally concluded, it will not offer further comments on the specifics of the proceedings at this stage.
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