Boeing's 737 Max 9 incident raises safety concerns and prompts grounding

An emergency landing of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 in Portland, Oregon, USA, has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to order inspections, affecting about 171 planes owned by Alaska, United, and other carriers. The incident has reignited safety concerns surrounding Boeing’s 737 Max series, known for its troubled history, including two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019.

Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, carrying 171 passengers and six crew members, made an emergency landing 20 minutes after takeoff on Friday, 5 January 2024. A chunk of the plane’s body broke off midair, creating a door-size hole. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported.

In response, Alaska Airlines swiftly grounded all 65 of its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft for inspection, leading the FAA to issue a temporary grounding order affecting other carriers, notably United Airlines with 79 Max 9s.

Jennifer Homendy, Chairwoman of the National Safety Transportation Board, revealed that a plug on an unneeded emergency door tore off, triggering the incident. The investigators will scrutinize the aircraft’s maintenance records and pressurization system to determine the cause.

Boeing, in collaboration with the FAA, is in the process of drafting instructions for airlines on how to inspect affected planes. The company’s 737 Max series has a contentious history, involving two crashes that claimed 346 lives and led to a global grounding lasting nearly two years.

Boeing faced legal consequences, agreeing to a $2.5 billion settlement with the Justice Department in 2021 and an additional $200 million in 2022 over accusations of defrauding the FAA and misleading investors. The company estimated a total cost of $20.7 billion due to the crisis.

The grounding of the 737 Max 9 may impact air travelers as airlines, including United and Alaska, are forced to cancel flights. By Sunday, 7 January 2024, United had canceled approximately 270 flights, affecting travel plans for thousands. Alaska Airlines issued a “system-wide flexible travel policy” to accommodate affected passengers.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, examining factors such as aircraft design, manufacture, maintenance, weather, air traffic control decisions, and actions by the flight crew. Safety investigations typically take months, involving technical experts from various entities.

As the situation unfolds, airlines are actively managing the fallout, and Boeing’s CEO, Dave Calhoun, assured employees of the company’s commitment to “safety, integrity, and transparency.” A companywide meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 9 January 2024, to discuss Boeing’s response to the recent incident.