Boeing CEO acknowledges mistake in Alaska Airlines mid-air door blowout

Boeing CEO acknowledges mistake in Alaska Airlines mid-air door blowout
By johnhromin


Boeing president and CEO, Dave Calhoun, has admitted his manufacturer was at fault after the emergency door on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 blew off mid-flight.

The mid-air emergency, which took place over Portland and saw the plane make an emergency landing, has triggered the global grounding of the MAX 9 aircraft, with 171 planes grounded in the US alone. No one was seriously injured in the Alaska Airlines emergency.

All carriers in the United States have been made to inspect their planes and United Airlines reported that it found loose bolts on its door plugs as a result of this.

Calhoun addressed his staff on Tuesday and said the firm was “acknowledging our mistake”.

The Boeing chief executive continued: “We’re going to approach it with 100 per cent and complete transparency every step of the way.”

Calhoun told staff that the company would be working alongside the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as it investigates the incident.

“They will get to a conclusion… the FAA [Federal Aviation Authority] who has to now deal with airline customers who want airplanes back in service safely and to ensure all the procedures are put into place, inspections, all the readiness actions that are required to ensure every next airplane that moves into the sky is in fact safe and that this event can never happen again,” he said.

Calhoun also empathised with those who watched footage of the incident: “When I got that picture, all I could think about – I didn’t know what happened to whoever was supposed to be in the seat next to that hole in the airplane. I’ve got kids, I’ve got grandkids and so do you. This stuff matters. Every detail matters.”

The FAA said that the MAX 9 aircraft with a plug door will not return to the skies until each one can safely return to operation.

Since the emergency, Boeing’s share price has dropped 9 per cent, slashing approximately US$12 billion from its market cap.

(Featured Image: Alaska Airlines emergency door blown out – X/@yuvnique)

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]