Alarm bells started ringing when an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 made an emergency landing in Portland on January 5 due to a door plug blowing out just after takeoff. This incident plunged Boeing back into trouble with its 737 MAX series, causing a significant decline in public trust over the last five years.
In response to the incident, Alaska Airlines grounded its fleet of 65 737-9s, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) leading to inspections and maintenance checks across 171 737-9s from various airlines.
This incident raised serious concerns about Boeing’s production practices, with loose bolts being discovered during inspections. This prompted a formal FAA investigation into Boeing’s production processes. Following these issues, Alaska Airlines announced a review of Boeing’s internal processes, the only airline to do so.
The decline in Boeing’s quality has been attributed to the pressure to compete with Airbus and a shift in the company’s culture that has prioritized profits and stock market focus over employee and public safety.
As a response to these issues, Boeing announced a five-point plan aimed at improving quality, including increasing quality inspections and assessments throughout the production process. The company also plans to open up its production facilities to outside inspections and has named an adviser to conduct a thorough assessment of its quality management system.
Even with these potential improvements, industry experts stress that a cultural adjustment is necessary for any meaningful change. Meanwhile, airlines and the FAA continue to await the resolution of the issues with the 737-9s and contend with the potential impact on Boeing’s timeline for the 737-7, 737-10, and the new long-haul 777X.