Boeing 737 MAX 9: US FAA regulator keeps planes grounded

Europe 1 with AFP // Credits: Daniel SLIM / AFP 12:09 p.m., January 13, 2024

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Friday that all 737 MAX 9 planes will remain grounded until their manufacturer Boeing provides more data on the mid-flight stall of a door on an Alaska Airlines plane.

"For the safety of U.S. travelers, the FAA is keeping the Boeing 737-9 MAX on the ground until comprehensive inspections and maintenance are completed and the data collected is reviewed," the FAA said in a statement. A door came loose from the cabin of a Boeing 5 MAX 737 on January 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, but the incident resulted in only a few minor injuries and the plane was able to land safely at its home airport.

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Security investigation still ongoing

The FAA has launched a safety investigation into the incident, the first major flight safety issue on a Boeing aircraft since the fatal crashes of the 737 MAX in 2018 and 2019 that led to a lengthy grounding of the plane. "We're working to make sure nothing like this ever happens again," said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. "Our only concern is the safety of American travelers and the Boeing 737-9 MAX will not be back in the air until we are fully confident that it is safe."

The FAA said it needed additional information from Boeing before approving the manufacturer's proposed inspection and maintenance instructions. The regulator said it "will not approve the inspection and maintenance process until it has reviewed the data from the first round of 40 inspections," but added that it was "encouraging" at the "comprehensiveness of Boeing's inspection and maintenance instructions."

"Assess the associated security risks"

Earlier Friday, the FAA announced plans to increase its oversight of Boeing's production and manufacturing, including auditing the 737 MAX's production line and suppliers. The regulator said it is also considering the use of an independent third party to oversee Boeing's inspections. "It's time to re-examine the delegation of authority and assess the associated security risks," Whitaker said. "The grounding of the 737-9 and the multiple production-related issues identified in recent years require us to consider all options to reduce risk," he said.

Hundreds of flights had to be cancelled due to the FAA's decision to ground planes. Alaska Airlines, which operates a fleet of 65 737-9 MAX aircraft, said it had to cancel 110 to 150 flights a day until Tuesday.