Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun acknowledged the U.S. aircraft maker's error after more than 170 jets remained grounded for four days, and blamed the Alaska Airlines midair panel explosion. The company told staff that such an accident would “never happen again.”
At a somber town hall meeting at the company's 737 factory in Renton, Wash., Stan Diehl, the company's head of aircraft manufacturing, also spoke at a solemn town hall meeting at the company's 737 factory in Renton, Wash., as Boeing began quality control and process checks. He said he was aware of the true seriousness of the situation.
Calhoun's statement comes after Boeing publicly acknowledged its error after a so-called door plug broke off from the fuselage of a nearly full 737 MAX 9 on Friday, leaving a gaping hole next to a miraculously empty seat. It was my first time.
Calhoun said the accident “shaken me to the bone,” and said the incident “shook me to the bone,” nearly five years after a full-scale MAX safety crisis sparked by deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. He said pressure on Boeing over its family of small planes has been reignited.
“Number one, we're going to acknowledge our mistakes and work through them,” Calhoun told employees, according to excerpts released by Boeing. “We will approach it with 100% and complete transparency every step of the way.”
Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, the two U.S. airlines using the grounded planes, said they had discovered loose parts on similar planes and said similar accidents could happen again. Concerns are growing.
“Quality control issues”
In a separate meeting on Tuesday, Boeing told staff that the findings were being treated as a “quality control issue” and that inspections were being conducted at Boeing and aircraft supplier Spirit AeroSystems, the sources said. I told them I was there.
Boeing said it has sent written orders to its factories and those of its suppliers to ensure these issues are addressed and to conduct extensive testing of their systems and processes.
Boeing shares fell 1.4% on Tuesday as United Airlines canceled 225 daily flights (8% of the total) and Alaska Airlines canceled 109 flights (18%).
Similar cancellations were expected Wednesday.
Calhoun also told Boeing employees that the company will “make sure that every plane that takes to the skies next is actually safe.”
He praised the Alaska Airlines crew for quickly landing the plane with only minor injuries to the 171 passengers and six crew members.
Calhoun, who was on Boeing's board of directors when all MAX jets were grounded in 2019, also praised Alaska Airlines for quickly grounding its 737 MAX 9 jets, saying, “Grounding the plane is the best thing you can do. “He knew how difficult it would be, much less grounding an aircraft,” the source added. He said.
Some industry leaders have privately criticized Boeing for not grounding the plane sooner on Saturday. The airline was planning to order inspections when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) intervened with an emergency order grounding 171 of its planes, the people said.
Boeing expressed support for the FAA's actions, and the company's contrite tone on Tuesday contrasted with statements criticized as legalistic after the 2018 Lion Air 737 MAX crash in Indonesia.
Paul Oestreicher, a U.S.-based crisis management expert, criticized Boeing for taking weeks to admit mistakes after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes in 2019. “We recognize the importance of transparency and are moving more quickly and are voicing some opinions,” Calhoun said. We empathize and work hard to find a solution. ”
Boeing declined to comment on Calhoun's remarks beyond official excerpts.
Testing protocol
The panels blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 will replace the optional exit doors on the airline's tightly packed 737 MAX 9 aircraft.
Boeing reviewed maintenance records for earlier Boeing 737-900ER aircraft with similar door plugs, and found that all had undergone extensive maintenance since delivery and none of the aircraft showed signs of similar problems. said the person.
Airlines have not yet begun formal inspections of the grounded aircraft.
The FAA announced Tuesday that Boeing is revising its inspection and maintenance instructions, but requires regulatory approval before inspections can begin.
The FAA said it would “conduct a thorough investigation” and that public safety would decide when the MAX would return to service.
Boeing finished 2023 in second place behind rival Airbus in terms of aircraft deliveries for the fifth year in a row, after the recent crisis eroded about 50% of its market share, sources said.
Recent issues could prompt the FAA to take a tougher stance on certification of other model designs, including changes needed for the smaller MAX 7.
Boeing is seeking a waiver that would allow it to certify the design before making changes, but analysts say that is currently highly unlikely.
Two industry executives said they expect Southwest Airlines' idle planes to be delayed for another six months.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker, who took office in October, is scheduled to testify before Congress next month and could face questions over his approval of the 737 MAX.
The hearing was underway even before the Alaska Airlines flight incident occurred.
