Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, which was flying from Portland, Oregon to California, had to return and make an emergency landing on January 5. This was due to a door panel being torn off, resulting in passengers being exposed to the outdoor conditions. Although there were no significant injuries, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decided to ground 171 Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft for thorough inspections. Boeing has acknowledged their error.
As a result of that accident, US federal regulator has now prohibited Boeing from increasing the production of its 737 MAX aircraft on a temporary basis due to concerns about passenger safety.
Boeing, the FAA, and operating air companies have expressed safety concerns regarding loose bolts, as at least two airlines have discovered this issue after the incident in Portland.
Yesterday, the US Federal Aviation Administration emphasized the importance of preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future. The FAA notified Boeing that no expansion of MAX production, including the 737-9 MAX, would be approved. Additionally, all grounded aircraft will undergo comprehensive oversight measures before being cleared for service again.
Boeing should not expect a return to normal operations and the FAA will not grant any pleas for increased production or the establishment of more 737 MAX production lines unless the federal regulators are confident that the quality control problems that have been discovered have been thoroughly addressed, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker stated.
US Federal Aviation Administration stated that the implementation of improved maintenance procedures would involve examining particular bolts, addressing any irregularities, and conducting thorough visual inspections of various aircraft components. Previously, the FAA also declared its intention to increase the number of personnel conducting rigorous evaluations of Boeing’s production and manufacturing processes.
Boeing faced a spike in groundings and safety inspections of its aircraft in the past after the fatal crashes in Ethiopia (2019) and Indonesia (2018), claimed the lives of 346 people. These tragic incidents led to a 20-month-long suspension of 737 MAX aircraft operations.
