Boeing admits fault in plane door latch failure

The statement is Boeing's first public admission of error since the incident left a hole in the side of a 737 MAX 9 last Friday.

Following the incident, two airlines that operate the aircraft extensively, Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, also found loose parts on similar planes, raising concerns that such an incident could happen again.

The emergency exit door cover of the 737 MAX 9 aircraft involved in the incident was found and recovered in Portland, Oregon, US on January 8, 2024. Photo: NTSB

In a meeting, Boeing told employees that the discovery of loose bolts on the plane was being treated as a “quality control issue” and that inspections were underway at Boeing and supplier Spirit Aerosystems.

Boeing has asked its factories and suppliers to ensure such issues are addressed and conduct wider inspections to ensure the incident “can never happen again,” Reuters sources said.

Boeing shares fell 1.4% on Tuesday as United Airlines canceled 225 daily flights, or 8% of its total, while Alaska Airlines canceled 109 flights, or 18%. Similar cancellations were expected on Wednesday.

Hole in the fuselage of the crashed Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX. Photo: NTSB

CEO Calhoun praised the Alaska Airlines crew for quickly landing the 737 MAX 9 with all 171 passengers and six crew members safe, saying the incident "scared me to the core."

Boeing has faced numerous production problems since the 737 MAX was grounded for 20 months in March 2019, following a series of crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed nearly 350 people.

Boeing met its delivery target but finished 2023 in second place behind rival Airbus for the fifth year in a row, according to official data. Boeing delivered 528 planes in 2023. Meanwhile, Airbus will announce its 735th 2023 delivery later this week.

Bui Huy (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/boeing-thua-nhan-mac-loi-trong-vu-roi-tam-chot-cua-may-bay-post280331.html