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Alaska Airlines began preliminary inspections of a group of its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft this weekend following the Jan. 5 incident in which a plug door was torn off mid-flight on a MAX 9.
The preliminary inspections will be conducted on a group of up to 20 of Alaska's 65 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft. The Seattle-based airline noted that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is requiring Boeing to provide additional data before approving the manufacturer's proposed inspection and maintenance procedures to be used in conducting final inspections on all 737 Max 9s, to safely put them back into operation.
Alaska's announcement came after the FAA on Friday extended indefinitely the grounding of 737 Max 9 aircraft pending safety inspections.
The regulator also said it would increase oversight of Boeing by examining the 737 Max 9 production line and suppliers and consider requiring an independent body to certify certain safety aspects of new planes that the FAA had previously assigned to the plane maker to take over.
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A plastic sheet covers an area of the fuselage of Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft outside a hangar at Portland International Airport on Jan. 8, 2024 in Oregon. (Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images)
Alaska also said it “has had a candid conversation with Boeing's CEO and leadership team to discuss their quality improvement plans to ensure delivery of the highest quality aircraft off the assembly line to Alaska.”
| ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.A | THE BOEING CO. | 217.70 | -4.96 | -2.23% |
| ALK | ALASKA AIR GROUP INC. | 35.17 | -1.82 | -4.92% |
It added that it appreciated the FAA's audit and review of safety processes at Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems, the Boeing supplier that builds the planes' fuselages. Alaska plans to expand its quality control team that oversees production of Alaska aircraft at Boeing's manufacturing facilities.
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Alaska Airlines aircraft in a hangar at Portland International Airport on January 9, 2024, as NTSB investigators investigate the air accident. (Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images)
The airline is also reviewing Boeing's production quality and control systems, including supplier monitoring, and Alaska's maintenance team will be involved in designing processes to improve Boeing's quality control of its aircraft.
“We have maintained a strong partnership with Boeing over many decades. With a commitment to transparency and openness, we are committed to working together to maintain the highest quality and safety of our aircraft for our employees and guests,” Alaska said in a statement.
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An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max-9 aircraft landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Saturday, January 6, 2024. (David Ryder/Bloomberg via / Getty Images)
The incident that led to the grounding and inspections occurred on January 5, when a shutter flap popped away from the fuselage on Alaska Flight 1282 from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California, causing a loss of cabin pressure The aircraft was at 16,000 feet to its cruising altitude.
The aircraft returned safely to Portland International Airport for an emergency landing. No serious injuries were reported among the flight's 171 passengers and six crew members. There were no passengers sitting immediately next to the exploded door panel. The plug-in door covers an additional emergency exit for 737 Max 9s whose seating arrangement accommodates the aircraft's maximum capacity, but is non-functional and covered in lower capacity arrangements.
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The 737 Max 9 involved in the incident previously had pressure warnings, prompting Alaska to ban long flights over water – such as to Hawaii – and schedule the plane for maintenance. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the incident.