“Inexcusable”: Airline union slams Boeing for blaming 737 MAX crashes on pilots

Pilot in cockpit.

The pilot’s union of American Airlines has hit back at Boeing’s suggestion that some responsibility for the 737 MAX crashes rest with the pilots.

In a report published by The GuardianBoeing CEO and president Dennis Muilenburg claimed the 737 MAX was correctly designed and reportedly suggested pilots did not “completely” follow procedures outlined by the airline manufacturer.

American Airlines reportedly responded by describing Boeing’s position as “inexcusable”, with Allied Pilots Association spokesperson Dennis Tajer arguing the manufacturer had unfairly blamed pilots involved in the fatal Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes.

“Shame on you. We’re going to call you out on it. That’s a poisoned, diseased philosophy,” Tajer told CNN.

Ethiopian officials have insisted the Ethiopian Airlines pilots repeatedly performed all of Boeing’s procedures, but were unable to recover the plane.

Ethiopian Airlines also complained that Boeing did not do enough to warn them about the system or provide functioning cockpit alerts about problems with sensors.

It all comes amid a report that the 737 MAX aircraft will return to the skies as early as next month.

Latest News