US Markets
Tuesday, January 9th, 2024 3:00 pm EDT
Key Points
- Safety Concerns and Grounding: The key point of the article revolves around safety concerns with Boeing 737 Max 9 planes operated by United and Alaska Airlines. Loose bolts on door plugs were discovered during inspections prompted by a recent incident on an Alaska Airlines flight where a panel blew out midflight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded dozens of 737 Max 9s in response to this issue, emphasizing the severity of the safety concerns.
- Airline Responses and Inspections: Both Alaska and United Airlines responded to the findings with a commitment to prioritize the safety of their aircraft. Alaska Airlines, which has 65 Max 9 planes, announced that no aircraft would return to service until formal reviews are complete. United Airlines, with the largest fleet of 79 Max 9 planes, acknowledged instances related to installation issues in the door plug during preliminary inspections. They assured that their Tech Ops team would address these issues to safely return the aircraft to service. Boeing, the plane manufacturer, issued instructions for inspections on Max 9 fleets across airlines.
- Impact on Boeing and CEO’s Response: The incident and subsequent grounding put additional scrutiny on Boeing, which has been grappling with quality defects while increasing aircraft production, including the 737 Max. Boeing expressed regret for the impact on customers and their passengers. CEO Dave Calhoun, who has been working to rebuild confidence, canceled a company leadership summit and planned an all-employee call to address the situation. This incident adds pressure on Boeing, especially concerning its efforts to address quality issues and assure stakeholders of improvements.
United Airlines has reported the discovery of loose bolts on the door plugs of several Boeing 737 Max 9 planes during inspections prompted by a recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines flight using the same aircraft. Alaska Airlines confirmed the presence of “loose hardware” in its initial inspections, asserting that no aircraft would be returned to service until formal reviews were completed, prioritizing the safety of the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded dozens of 737 Max 9s after a panel blew out midflight on Alaska Flight 1282. With 65 Max 9 planes in its fleet, Alaska Airlines and United, with 79 planes, have the largest fleet of this jet model. United Airlines stated that preliminary inspections revealed issues related to installation in the door plug, such as bolts requiring additional tightening, and assured that their Tech Ops team would remedy these findings to safely return the aircraft to service. Boeing, the plane manufacturer, issued instructions for airlines to conduct inspections on their Max 9 fleets and expressed regret for the impact on customers. While no serious injuries occurred in the Alaska Airlines incident, the force of the blown-out panel caused some cabin items to be ripped away, prompting a federal safety investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board emphasized that the situation could have been more severe at cruising altitude. The incident adds to scrutiny on Boeing, which has been addressing quality defects while increasing aircraft production, including the 737 Max. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, who has been working to assure stakeholders of improvements, canceled a company leadership summit and plans an all-employee call. The 737 Max, Boeing’s best-selling aircraft, has over 4,000 orders, with the Max 8, unaffected by the grounding, constituting the majority of those orders.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/08/united-airlines-737-max-9-inspections-turn-up-loose-bolts.html
