United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said this week that the airline is investigating a series of recent accidents on its planes, ranging from engine and structural problems to wheels falling off during takeoff. Letters reassured flyers.
At least six unrelated incidents have occurred on United Airlines-operated aircraft since the end of February. Five of the cases involved Boeing aircraft.
“Safety is our top priority and at the center of everything we do,” Kirby said in a letter to United Airlines customers. “Unfortunately, over the past few weeks we have had a number of incidents that remind us of the importance of safety.”
Although all of these incidents were unrelated, they “gave our attention and focused our attention,” Kirby said in the letter.
safety concerns
Last week, a Boeing 777 was forced to turn mid-flight after leaving Sydney due to an oil pressure leak.
A few days earlier, an Airbus A320 en route to Mexico City was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport after reporting a hydraulic problem.
Just before that, a Boeing 737 “tumbled onto the grass” after landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, and a Boeing 777-200 bound for Japan lost a tire shortly after takeoff in San Francisco.
Earlier this month, a plane flying from Houston to Fort Myers, Florida, had to make an emergency landing due to engine trouble.
Video showed flames shooting from one of the plane’s engines as the crew acknowledged the situation.
In February, a Boeing 757 operated by United Airlines was diverted to address a problem with a wing slat. One passenger reported seeing the wing “break apart” during the flight, with noticeable parts missing.
From Dorian D. Saada, Storyful
FOX Business has reached out to Boeing and Airbus for comment.
Kirby said United is currently reviewing the details of each incident to better understand what happened.
Airlines are using these insights to “inform all employee groups on safety training and procedures,” he continued.
Kirby said the company was already planning to give pilots an extra day of in-person training starting in May.
United Airlines has also already created a centralized training curriculum for new maintenance technicians.
“We’re also putting more resources into managing our supplier network,” Kirby added.
The CEO said he empowers his team to “speak up” if they feel something is wrong.
Still, he said, passengers can “be confident that every time a United Airlines flight leaves the gate, our entire team is working together to keep your journey safe.”
