Alaska Airlines began reviewing Boeing’s production quality and control systems this past week, and announced Saturday the company will “enhance” oversight of planes manufactured by the airline’s decadeslong partner.
Federal officials last week grounded most Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft until they are inspected after an Alaska Airlines plane suffered a blowout that left a gaping hole in the side of the fuselage. And the planes won’t return to the skies soon: the Federal Aviation Administration said the model would remain grounded until Boeing provides data that will take days to collect.
The incident has led to passengers on the terrifying flight filing a lawsuit, Alaska Airlines canceling hundreds of flights, and a public relations nightmare for the airline, Boeing and the FAA.
As of 1:50 p.m. Sunday, 113 flights had been canceled to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the majority of them with Alaska, according to data collected by FlightAware. Another 174 flights were delayed.
Up to 20 Alaska planes could undergo preliminary inspections by the FAA, and the airline announced Saturday that it plans to enhance its oversight of Alaska aircraft on the Boeing production line by expanding the team that validates the Boeing 737 production line’s work.
“This week, we engaged in a candid conversation with Boeing’s CEO and leadership team to discuss their quality improvement plans to ensure the delivery of the highest quality aircraft off the production line for Alaska,” a news release said.
The airline called the incident on Flight 1282 a “sobering reminder” that aviation safety control needs “continuous strengthening and improvement.”
The airline began reviewing Boeing’s quality control systems last week, including how the manufacturer oversees its vendors, the release said.
The door plug that blew out is a panel used to seal a fuselage cutout where a few airlines install an extra emergency exit door so they can have more seats. Most airlines, including Alaska and United, don’t have a door there, instead installing the plug, which appears to passengers inside as just another window.
Though no one died, and air travel still remains by far the safest form of transportation, the close call drew intense attention across the nation.
Everything points to a mistake in installing and inspecting a door plug, the part that blew out — which was assembled by Spirit AeroSystems of Wichita, Kan. — and a failure by Boeing to oversee the work of its supplier or catch the defect when the completed fuselage came to Renton for final assembly.
National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said last Monday that the agency will examine the plug and the connected door frame components and will be able to definitively say whether bolts were installed.
Seattle Times staff reporter Dominic Gates contributed to this story.