President Biden joked on Thursday that he would not go near the door of the presidential jet made by Boeing, an aircraft manufacturer that has recently suffered a series of mid-flight accidents.
At a big-ticket campaign fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall, Biden was asked by CBS “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert to give an Air Force flight to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg ahead of his trip to New York. I was asked if I had the one bolt tightened and I made this joke.
“I’m not sitting by the door,” the 81-year-old president told Colbert, who was moderating a debate at a fundraiser.
“It’s a joke. We shouldn’t joke about that,” Biden added.
Air Force One, one of two highly customized Boeing 747-200Bs, is one of the most recognizable symbols of the presidency.
The airline has been under fire since January 5, when a door exploded during a flight on a Boeing 737 Max 9 passenger plane operated by Alaska Airlines.
This horrific incident prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to ground all Boeing 737 Max 9s for several weeks.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s initial findings concluded that a bolt was missing from the rear door of an Alaska Airlines jet.
A week after a near-disaster, a Boeing jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Japan after a cockpit window developed a crack.
Then, in late January, a Boeing 757 operated by Delta Air Lines bound for Bogota, Colombia, lost a front tire while preparing to depart from Atlanta International Airport.
Later, a British passenger raised concerns after noticing pieces of tape stuck to the exterior of a Boeing 787 during a flight to India.
In yet another incident, a United Airlines Boeing 777-300 leaked fuel mid-air and was forced to make an emergency landing on March 11.
Embattled Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun announced this week that he will step down at the end of the year.
