Alaska Airlines Discovers Loose Bolts in Boeing 737 Max 9 Jets
Alaska Air Group Inc. has revealed that numerous loose bolts were found on its Boeing Co. 737 Max 9 aircraft following a midair panel blowout earlier this month. In an interview with NBC, Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci expressed his anger and disappointment over the incident, demanding improvements in Boeing’s quality programs. The US safety regulators have already grounded all Max 9 planes since the January 5th incident, which resulted in a gaping hole in the aircraft and an emergency landing. While inspections have been conducted by Alaska and United Airlines Holdings Inc., both airlines are awaiting final specifications from the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing before these planes can resume flying.
The blowout incident has raised concerns about Boeing’s manufacturing quality, prompting scrutiny from regulators, customers, and the planemaker itself. Minicucci emphasized that such an incident should have never occurred, expressing his frustration with Boeing’s management. United CEO Scott Kirby has also voiced his frustrations and concerns regarding the handling of the grounding.
In response, Boeing issued a statement apologizing for the disruption caused to airline customers, employees, and passengers, and reassured its commitment to a comprehensive plan for the safe return of these airplanes to service, as well as improvements in quality and delivery performance.
Inspections of the affected doors are taking approximately 10 hours each. Once the FAA provides final guidance, it will take several days to complete the inspections and resume flights. Boeing has also pledged to assist Max 9 operators in addressing any findings during the checks.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is scheduled to meet with senators in Washington, D.C., this week to discuss the situation.
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