Boeing’s (BA) endeavors to reinstate operation of its grounded 737–9 Max were thwarted when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined that the company had not provided adequate instructions to airlines regarding the inspection of the aircraft.
The FAA issued a provisional grounding order for certain Boeing 737 Max 9 jets earlier this week in retaliation for a door “plug” that detachment an Alaska Airlines aircraft in midair on Friday. Upon inspection, it was discovered that additional 737-9 Max aircraft in Alaska Airlines’ and United Airlines’ fleets had “loose hardware.” More precisely, the examination revealed that certain fasteners connecting the plugs or panels that affix to the fuselage of the aircraft when the apertures are not in use as emergency exits required tightening.
Boeing has submitted plans for servicing and re-entering service with the jets, but the FAA has just issued a statement stating that until new guidance is issued and authorized by the FAA, all aircraft should remain grounded.
“Until the FAA determines that each Boeing 737-9 Max with a plug door can return to service safely, each aircraft will remain grounded.” For the procedure to commence, Boeing must furnish operators with directives pertaining to inspections and maintenance. Yesterday, Boeing provided an initial draft of the instructions, which is presently undergoing revisions in light of the feedback that was received. The FAA will conduct a comprehensive review upon obtaining the revised instructions from Boeing, according to a statement issued by the agency on Tuesday afternoon.
The FAA stated in a tweet accompanying its statement, “The timeline for returning the Boeing 737-9 Max to service will be determined by the safety of the flying public rather than speed.”
In the United States, only Alaska Airlines and United Airlines operate 737 Max 9 aircraft. Yahoo Finance previously reported that 171 aircraft will be affected by the FAA’s suspension order.
Flight cancellations resulted from the grounding order, which is compounding the ongoing flight disruptions throughout the nation caused by a winter storm that has traversed the Eastern Seaboard and Midwest. As of Tuesday morning, according to FlightAware data, over 200 United departures and 108 Alaska Airlines flights, or 18% of Alaska’s daily flight load, had been canceled. This represents 8% of United’s daily flight load.
