The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Wednesday the completion of inspections on an initial group of 40 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets, marking a significant step toward potentially ungrounding the model. This move comes after a mid-air cabin panel blowout on January 5, involving an eight-week-old Alaska Airlines jet.
Last week, the FAA stated that 40 out of 171 grounded planes needed re-inspection before the agency could assess the results and determine the safety of allowing the MAX 9s to resume flights. The FAA mentioned it would “thoroughly review the data” and convene a Corrective Action Review Board before making any decisions. No specific timetable was provided for the decision.
Thousands of flights canceled this month
Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, the two US carriers employing the Boeing 737 MAX 9, completed the inspections but announced the cancellation of all MAX 9 flights through Friday. This incident has led to the cancellation of thousands of flights this month, affecting passenger travel plans.
The recent blowout has heightened concerns about the safety of Boeing’s planes, particularly as it follows two crashes five years ago that claimed the lives of 346 people. As a consequence, Boeing shares have witnessed a decline of approximately 20% since the beginning of this year. The aviation industry anxiously awaits the FAA’s decision on the MAX 9’s return to service.
Alaska Airline incident
The scrutiny and grounding of planes took place following a Flight 1282, carrying 171 passengers and six flight crew members, experienced a catastrophic event shortly after takeoff, resulting in a window and a portion of the plane’s fuselage blowing out. Although passengers reported a sudden rush of air and minor injuries, fortunately, there were no serious casualties. As a precautionary measure, Alaska Airlines grounded its entire fleet of 65 Boeing 737-9 aircraft.
Boeing’s recent manufacturing challenges, including issues related to drilling holes and inspections of the rudder control system, have raised concerns about the safety of their planes. Notably, the 737 Max series faced global grounding after two crashes in 2018 and 2019 claimed 346 lives.
(With inputs from Reuters)