KUALA LUMPUR (March 12): The chief executive officer (CEO) of Boeing Co Dennis Muilenburg has come out to defend the safety of the 737 MAX family jets, saying that the US aircraft maker has delivered more than 370 737 MAX planes to 47 customers to-date.

In a message to all Boeing employees on Monday, Muilenburg said since its certification and entry into service, the 737 MAX family has completed "hundreds of thousands of flights safely".

"We are confident in the safety of the 737 MAX and in the work of the men and women who design and build it," he said.

His message come in the wake of a second crash involving the best-selling Boeing aircraft in less than five months, raising questions about the safety of the 737 Max 8 and had resulted in China, Indonesia and several airlines around the world grounding the aircraft type.

"I know this tragedy (Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302) is especially challenging coming only months after the loss of Lion Air Flight 610. While difficult, I encourage everyone to stay focused on the important work we do," Muilenburg's statement read.

"Our customers, business partners and stakeholders depend on us to deliver for them," he added.

Muilenburg said the company is also adjusting plans to ensure the right people and resources are available when and where they need to be. For example, it will simplify its 777X rollout activities this week and postpone its external debut.

"As we partner with regulators and the Ethiopian Airlines investigation unfolds, it’s necessary that we stay centered on the facts and avoid speculation. As a reminder, all requests for information on this topic must flow through the proper channels.

"There are still many facts to learn and work to be done. Speculating about the cause of the accident or discussing it without all the necessary facts is not appropriate and could compromise the integrity of the investigation," he added.

Muilenburg also stressed that Boeing follows international aviation protocol and cannot publicly release information related to the accident investigation.

"Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Kevin McAllister and I will continue to share information as details are available and it is appropriate to do so," he noted.

Yesterday, Malaysia Airlines Bhd and Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd said they do not have any 737 MAX in operations currently. However, Malaysia Airlines announced that it has written to Boeing seeking for more technical details ahead of the delivery of its 25 orders for Boeing 737 MAXs expected from next year.

The Ethiopian Airlines jet bound for Nairobi crashed minutes after take-off on Sunday (March 10), killing all 157 people on board. Less than 15 minutes after Lion Air Flight 610 took off from Jakarta on Oct 29 last year, the plane crashed in the Java Sea, killing all 189 people on board.

Boeing shares closed down US$22.53 or 5.33% at US$400.01 on Monday, bringing a market capitalisation of US$226 billion.