Alaska Airlines CEO: We found 'many' loose bolts on our Boeing, $BA, Max 9s following near-disaster, per NBC.
In an exclusive interview with Tom Costello, senior correspondent at NBC News, Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci expressed his frustration and disappointment over the findings from the company's inspections following the January 5 incident. During that incident, a panel on one of Alaska Airlines' Max 9 jets blew out midair with 177 people on board.
Minicucci conveyed his anger and emphasized the impact on the airline, its passengers, and its staff. He demanded that Boeing take substantial measures to enhance its in-house quality programs.
In response to the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the grounding of all Boeing Max 9 planes and initiated a safety investigation. The FAA also announced an audit of Boeing's Max 9 production line and suppliers to assess compliance with approved quality procedures, subjecting Boeing and its third-party suppliers to heightened monitoring.
Lawmakers raised concerns about Boeing's quality control systems, questioning whether the loose bolts issue indicates a broader problem with Boeing's ability to manufacture safe airplanes. Senators Ed Markey, J.D. Vance, and Peter Welch conveyed these concerns in a letter to Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun.
The ongoing grounding of Boeing-made Max 9 planes has led Alaska Airlines, which had the highest percentage of these planes among major carriers, to disrupt its schedule, causing inconvenience for thousands of passengers. The FAA has not yet provided specific maintenance orders for the planes to return to service, leaving the timeline uncertain.
