Bangladesh, Oct. 18 -- The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to approve the long-delayed Boeing 737 MAX 10 as early as this week, according to media reports, citing three people familiar with the matter.

The FAA's Type Certification Board, which is made up of members of the agency's management team, completed a key safety review on October 16. The review is the final step before the regulator decides on certification.

Asked for comment, the FAA said safety dictates the certification timeline. Boeing referred questions to the regulator.

The MAX 10 is a larger variant of Boeing's best-selling 737 MAX. Its approval will mark a key milestone for the US planemaker, which has faced a more stringent certification process s...