April 1 (Reuters) - Boeing ( BA ) slowed production of

737 MAX airplanes to 31 per month from 38 due to delays related

to fitting wing systems, the Air Current reported on Tuesday,

citing people familiar with the progress of the planemaker's

factory in Renton, Washington.

The factory had briefly reached a production rate of 38

planes in February but pulled back to 31 after unfinished

assembly tasks in wing systems installation spiked sharply,

according to the report on the aviation news website.

The issue persisted through March and Boeing ( BA ) was further

slowing some earlier parts of its wing production to catch up

with the delays, the report said.

Boeing ( BA ) did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for

comment outside its regular business hours.

The U.S. planemaker is working to grow production of its 737

MAX jet to at least 38 a month this year after drastically

curbing output in 2024 following quality concerns after a

mid-air panel blowout on a near-new model.

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary, who is briefed

regularly on the progress of jets on order by one of Boeing's ( BA )

top customers, told Reuters last week that Boeing ( BA ) had produced

32 737 MAX planes in March and would reach a rate of 38 a month

by the end of April.