After three weeks of being grounded, the Boeing 737 Max 9 is returning to service.
10.01.2024 - 22:35 / skift.com / Pete Buttigieg / United Airlines / Edward Russell / Dave Calhoun / Spirit Aerosystems
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said safety will dictate the timeline of returning Boeing’s 737 Max 9 aircraft to service following the sudden loss of a door plug on an Alaska Airlines plane.
“The only consideration for the timeline is safety,” he said at the U.S. Transportation Research Board’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. “Until it is ready, it’s not ready. Nobody can or should be rushed in that process.”
The Federal Aviation Administration paused inspections of the 737-9 on Tuesday as it awaits final instructions from Boeing how to inspect and maintain planes. The agency temporarily grounded all 737-9s with door plugs on Saturday.
Alaska said Wednesday that it has cancelled all 737-9 flights through Saturday. And United Airlines told pilots on Wednesday that it expects “meaningful” cancellations through Thursday as a result of the grounding.
Alaska and United are the only U.S. operators of the 737-9 with 65 and 79 planes, respectively. Aeromexico, Copa Airlines, and Turkish Airlines are among international carriers affected by the grounding order.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun on Wednesday told CNBC that “quality escape” was behind the sudden decompression and loss of the door plug on an Alaska flight on January 5. The plug, which is located partway between the wings and rear of the 737-9, is installed by supplier Spirit AeroSystems and checked by Boeing at its factory before planes are delivered to airlines.
The 737-9 operating the Alaska flight was delivered new on October 31.
Both Alaska and United have found loose hardware related to the door plug in their initial 737-9 inspections.
Asked about the quality of Boeing’s production line, Buttigieg said: “Every plane that they deliver to an airline, every plane that goes into the skies needs to be 100% safe. And they need to be able to demonstrate that.”
Buttigieg said he has spoken to Calhoun about the accident, as well as the leaders of both Alaska and United.
The FAA approves each new aircraft delivery. However, Buttigieg noted that the regulator does not inspect every aircraft that rolls out of Boeing’s factories.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Alaska accident.
After three weeks of being grounded, the Boeing 737 Max 9 is returning to service.
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The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it is halting any production expansion of the Boeing 737 Max, after a door plug suddenly fell off an Alaska Airlines jet.
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Airline bosses on both sides of the Atlantic are lashing out at Boeing over a number of recent safety and production issues — loose bolts, a discarded wrench found under the floorboards, delayed shipments — as the crisis over the aircraft maker’s 737 Max 9 shows little sign of ending soon.
Alaska Airlines’ CEO said he was “angry” at Boeing after a door panel on a 737 Max 9 blew out mid-air.
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Based on its inspection of the first 40 of more than 170 jets, the Federal Aviation Administration appears ready to allow the Boeing 737 Max 9 back in the air.
The Federal Aviation Administration is asking airlines to visually inspect the door plugs on another type of Boeing 737 jet.
The Boeing 737 Max 9 saga has impacted more than 1,500 Alaska Airlines flights as the carrier said there will be cancelations through Friday.
Boeing is introducing more quality assurance measures in its production process for 737 aircraft following a nightmare Alaska Airlines flight on one of the planes last week.