Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has acknowledged the company’s errors as over 170 jets remain grounded for the fourth consecutive day. The acknowledgment comes after a mid-air incident involving an Alaska Airlines panel blowout. Calhoun reassured staff that Boeing would take measures to prevent a recurrence of such accidents.
Stan Deal, Boeing’s top planemaking official, addressed a town hall meeting in Renton, Washington, emphasizing the gravity of the incident and the company’s commitment to scrutinizing its quality controls and processes.
Calhoun’s comments, marking Boeing’s first public admission of errors since the recent incident, come amid the company’s rejection of a plea to halt Supreme Judicial Council proceedings related to Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi’s alleged misconduct.
Read more : Interesting Facts About Mid Air Blowout Of Boeing Plane
The CEO expressed being “shaken to the bone” by the Alaska Airlines incident, renewing concerns over Boeing’s small plane family, nearly five years after the MAX safety crisis following fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
Boeing aims to approach the situation with transparency, acknowledging its mistake and ensuring accountability in the aftermath of the panel blowout. The incident has raised apprehensions, with Alaska Airlines and United Airlines discovering loose parts on similar aircraft.
The findings are being treated as a “quality control issue,” and inspections are underway at Boeing and fuselage supplier Spirit Aerosystems. Boeing has issued orders to its plants and suppliers to address the problems and conduct comprehensive checks on systems and processes.
Boeing’s stock experienced a 1.4% decline, and United and Alaska Airlines canceled flights in response to the ongoing situation. Calhoun pledged to guarantee the safety of every future aircraft, appreciating the swift actions of the Alaska Airlines crew in landing the affected plane safely.
While acknowledging the seriousness of the incident, Calhoun praised Alaska Airlines for promptly grounding its 737 MAX 9 jets. Some industry leaders had criticized Boeing for not grounding planes more swiftly, but the company voiced support for the FAA’s emergency order to ground the affected aircraft.
The blown-off panel on Alaska Air Flight 1282 prompted scrutiny, and Boeing is revising its instructions for inspections and maintenance. The FAA will conduct a thorough review before determining the timeline for the MAX’s return to service.
Boeing, facing the latest challenge, ended 2023 in second place behind Airbus in aircraft deliveries for the fifth consecutive year. The incident could impact the FAA’s certification approach for other models, potentially affecting the MAX 7 and delaying the awaited plane for Southwest Airlines by six months.
FAA head Mike Whitaker is set to testify before Congress next month, potentially facing questions regarding the approval of the 737 MAX planes, amid ongoing investigations and safety considerations.
