United Airlines found loose bolts on its Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes, leading to the suspension of these aircraft.
The airline’s 200 MAX 9 flights are canceled as a result.
Alaska Airlines also reported encountering “loose” materials on their 737-9 MAX fleet. (Trending: First Moon Mission In 50 Years Blasts Off)
This comes after an Alaska Air flight experienced a door plug blowing out mid-air, prompting an emergency landing.
“Since we began preliminary inspections on Saturday, we have found instances that appear to relate to installation issues in the door plug – for example, bolts that needed additional tightening,” the company stated.
“These findings will be remedied by our Tech Ops team to safely return the aircraft to service.”
“As our maintenance technicians began preparing our 737-9 MAX fleet for inspections, they accessed the area in question. Initial reports from our technicians indicate some loose hardware was visible on some aircraft,” they added.
The incident has led to safety inspections being directed for all 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft and has impacted Boeing and Spirit Aerosystems’ shares.
“As operators conduct the required inspections, we are staying in close contact with them and will help address any and all findings,” Boeing stated.
“We are committed to ensuring every Boeing airplane meets design specifications and the highest safety and quality standards.”
“We regret the impact this has had on our customers and their passengers.”
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