The absence of any visible progress in resolving the MAX grounding more than 4 months after it was instituted is disconcerting.
Not only has there been no formal public discussion of the issues, there is not even an agreement as to which issues need to be addressed among the various regulators.
Unless there is tremendous activity well hidden and below the surface, the prospects for an early 2020 reentry into service do not look good. That raises the question of at what point the airlines throw in the towel on this model?
To answer this question, I'd think that France would be the best placed source of insight.
Afaik, the MAX engine, the CFM 56, is the largest export earner in the French industry, so the fate of the MAX is of keen interest to France.
Does anyone here have any French connections which could add a little informed perspective on the situation?