What a lot of poorly informed commenters. The reason why recertification is taking so long is not because the plane isn't a good design or that they haven't fixed the single-point failure issue. The delay is due to the tense protracted negotiations happening in the shadows, which will define the new training requirements, which are for Airlines and Boeing a major factor in the practical value of the model.
If they are required to do simulator certification for all their MAX crews, they might as well rebrand the model. If that happens, let's see if they delete MCAS altogether. It seems to be largely designed to "make it fly like a 737".
None of this is really news or particularly surprising. Problems with substandard and counterfeit parts have always plagued Boeing and Airbus alike, and with the complex web of international component suppliers there are too many links in chain of possession to eliminate the problem entirely. Hearing about these particular suspect slat track parts is some cause for concern, but the public would not be in on it if it were not for the heightened scrutiny focused on Boeing due to the MAX debacle.
