Boeing finds itself under renewed scrutiny following the temporary grounding of some Boeing 737 Max planes by federal officials after a harrowing incident involving an Alaska Airlines jetliner. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency order mandating immediate inspections of Max 9 planes operated by U.S. airlines or flown in the United States by foreign carriers. This directive, impacting approximately 171 planes globally, is the latest setback for Boeing 737 Max lineup, which faced two deadly crashes shortly after its introduction.
The triggering incident occurred on Friday when a window panel blew out on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 just seven minutes after takeoff from Portland, Oregon. The sudden loss of cabin pressure led to the deployment of oxygen masks and the disrobing of a child due to rapid decompression. Miraculously, all 174 passengers and six crew members escaped unharmed as the pilots executed an emergency landing skillfully.
In response to the incident, Alaska Airlines swiftly announced the grounding of its entire fleet of 65 Max 9s for inspections and maintenance. CEO Ben Minicucci expressed confidence in completing the inspections “in the next few days.” The short grounding period, however, disrupted the airline’s operations, resulting in the cancellation of over 100 flights, approximately 14% of its schedule. The FAA’s emergency order affects about 171 Max 9 planes worldwide, prompting scrutiny from U.S. carriers and international aviation authorities.
The incident has triggered a global response, with India’s aviation watchdog directing its airlines to inspect emergency exits on all Boeing 737 Max 8 planes, a slightly smaller model than the Max 9. India expressed dissatisfaction with the guidance provided by Boeing in this regard.
Boeing, facing fresh challenges related to its best-selling plane, has offered a brief statement acknowledging the incident and expressing cooperation with the ongoing investigation. The Max series, including versions 8, 9, and 10, is the latest iteration of Boeing’s 737, a widely used twin-engine, single-aisle aircraft for U.S. domestic flights.
The Boeing 737 Max faced a tumultuous period after crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia led to a global grounding for nearly two years. Boeing’s estimated cost of more than $20 billion in fallout from these crashes includes settlements with the families of passengers who lost their lives. Despite a resumption in Max purchases by airlines, the model has encountered various issues, from component questions to concerns about the anti-ice system and loose bolts in the rudder-control system.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have initiated investigations into the recent incident, adding another layer of complexity to Boeing’s efforts to rebuild trust in its flagship aircraft.
