KUALA LUMPUR – Upon inspection, Alaska Airlines found many loose bolts on its 737 MAX 9 fleet and slammed planemaker Boeing for its “quality programmes”.
“I’m more than frustrated and disappointed. I am angry. This happened to Alaska Airlines. It happened to our guests and happened to our people,” said Alaska Airlines chief executive Ben Minicucci.
“And my demand on Boeing is what are they going to do to improve their quality programmes in-house.”
Minicucci said the onus is now on Boeing to show how it will improve its quality control and prevent such incidents in the future.
In addition, the airline will be including its own additional oversight on the production line at Boeing.
“We’re sending our audit people to audit Boeing’s quality control systems and processes to make sure that every aircraft that comes off that production line… that comes to Alaska has the highest levels of excellence and quality,” he told NBC News.
Boeing is currently being investigated by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after a door plug flew off mid-flight and left a hole in the fuselage, forcing the plane into an emergency landing with panicked passengers and crew.
Since then, the FAA has grounded 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft after the incident on January 5.
Another Boeing customer – United Airlines – also cast doubt on the planemaker’s future orders and deliveries of Boeing 737s.
United chief financial officer Michael Leskinen said 31 out of the 107 aircraft the airline expects to take delivery of this year are Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.
The airline also has 277 as-yet-uncertified Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft on order and options to purchase another 200 planes.
“We also expect a reduction in orders and deliveries from Boeing in 2025. So we are working through an alternate plan.” – January 24, 2024