Boeing Co. has to postpone deliveries of more of its best-selling 737 Max planes after suppliers discovered new manufacturing defects, putting pressure on the beleaguered U.S. manufacturer is increasing further.
According to Reuters, the aircraft manufacturer will have to work on about 50 undelivered planes after supplier Spirit AeroSystems discovered two holes had been drilled incorrectly.
The accident comes as Boeing’s manufacturing process has come under increased scrutiny after part of its fuselage fell from a plane last month. Shortly after takeoff, a panel covering an unused door hole fell off the Alaska Airlines plane, forcing it to return to Portland, Oregon, but no one was seriously injured.
Boeing had been in a slump for several years after two planes crashed due to design flaws, but until this accident, the company had been working to increase production of the 737 MAX. The model was grounded for nearly two years after Lion Air Flight 610 in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March 2019 killed 346 people.
But Boeing is under pressure from airline customers after the Alaska crash highlighted apparent and continuing failures in the company’s safety processes.
Emirates Airline chief Sir Tim Clark has become the latest airline leader to demand major changes from Boeing.speak at interview He told Sunday’s Financial Times that Boeing was in a “last chance saloon” following a “progressive decline” in standards.
Clark said Boeing needs to “instill this culture of safety that is second to none” and “rethink its manufacturing processes to ensure no corners are cut.”
His remarks echoed regular criticism of Boeing from some industry insiders who say it focuses too much on financial profits.
He said Boeing’s board needs to prioritize production, “not ‘What’s the return on investment?'” What’s the bottom line? What is free cash flow? What is shareholder value? What is the stock price? What is my bonus? No, if you do it right the first time. ”
As of Friday, accidentally drilled holes had been found in 22 of the 47 planes inspected so far, according to sources cited by Reuters. It is also possible that it exists on some 737 aircraft in service.
Employees at Spirit AeroSystems, the sole supplier of the 737 Max’s airframe, reportedly noticed that the hole was too close to the edge of a piece of metal in the window frame.
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In a letter to Boeing staff cited by Reuters, Boeing CEO Stan Diehl wrote: We would like to thank the supplier’s employee who informed the manager that the two holes may not have exactly matched our requirements. ”
Diehl wrote that the errant hole “does not pose an immediate flight safety issue and all 737s can safely continue operating.”
Boeing and Spirit have been contacted for comment.
