New York: United and Alaska Airlines both reported on Monday that loose hardware had been discovered on some of their Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes during preliminary inspections after a dramatic mid-flight incident last week. Hours later, Alaska Airlines said its staff had found that "loose hardware was visible on some aircraft." Following the Alaska Airlines incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered operators to ground 171 jets with the same door plug configuration. Alaska Airlines said it was still awaiting "final documentation" from Boeing and the FAA before beginning the formal inspection process. Analysts said the Alaska Airlines problems may have stemmed from a manufacturing defect.
