The company says it will step up quality inspections following the blowout of a door plug on a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines. Boeing told employees Monday that it plans to increase quality inspections of its 737 Max 9 aircraft, following the failure of an emergency exit door panel on an Alaska Airlines flight this month. One of two door plugs on an Alaska Airlines Max 9 blew out shortly after the plane took off from Portland, Ore., on Jan. 5, leaving a hole in the plane. The National Transportation Safety Board is focusing its investigation on plugs used to fill spots for extra doors when those exits are not required for safety reasons on Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners. Since then, various manufacturing flaws have at times held up deliveries of Max jets and a larger Boeing plane, the 787.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 15, 2024 19:15 UTC