The recent Boeing 737 Max plane crisis worsened after two airlines said they found loose parts and loose bolts on several Max 9 planes, raising new concerns among industry experts about how its best-selling plane was manufactured.
The American airline “Alaska Airlines” announced yesterday, Monday, that it had discovered “barely installed parts” in some of its Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, three days after one of its aircraft of this model was involved in an accident while in flight.
The company said in a statement that the initial inspection showed that “parts that are not well installed can be seen in some aircraft,” adding that this initial inspection will be followed by comprehensive inspections and audits in accordance with the orders of the American aviation authorities.
US regulators grounded 171 737 MAX 9 aircraft after an explosion in the cabin of a plane operated by Alaska Airlines shortly after take-off from Portland Airport in Oregon on Friday, leading to an emergency landing.
For its part, United Airlines – one of the two American airlines that use this Boeing model – said that its inspections found loose screws in several panels. This increased concerns about the production process of 171 Max 9 aircraft, which are currently grounded.
Reuters quoted one of its sources as saying that United found approximately 10 planes with loose screws, and that the number may rise.
Boeing has faced many production problems since the 737 Max family was grounded in early 2019 after an accident that left people dead.
Boeing stock declined sharply
As a result, Boeing shares fell sharply yesterday, losing more than 8%, falling to $229. These losses curbed the gains of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which closed up only 1.4%.
The US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating this troubling event, focusing on Boeing’s manufacturing process and the components surrounding the door opener.
This has cast a strained shadow in Boeing’s relationship with one of its main suppliers, Spirit Aero Systems, to audit its operations after recent quality problems.
The 737 Max 9 planes are equipped with many emergency exits, so Boeing offers its customers the possibility of eliminating some of these exits using plugs if the number of remaining exits is sufficient compared to the number of seats on the plane.
Possible slowdown
Earlier, Bloomberg quoted analysts predicting a possible slowdown in the pace of manufacturing, affecting delivery targets for the year.
This bump comes at a critical time for Boeing, as investors expect an increase in the cash supply and a return to manufacturing rates before 2019.
This company faces pressure to maintain quality standards and deliver defect-free aircraft to maintain customer confidence.
CEO Dave Calhoun faces a series of quality lapses that affect investors’ confidence in his competence, and what happened calls for a more focused turn in Boeing’s management strategies, as Calhoun previously stated that he aims to achieve stability after the turbulent consequences of two fatal 737 MAX accidents approximately 5 years ago. He pointed out in a previous statement that it is “an important transitional year.”
On the other hand, Beijing stopped the delivery of 737 MAX aircraft to Chinese companies as a result.
Recently, Boeing was forced to delay deliveries due to problems with the airframe, especially its rear section.
By the end of last December, Boeing had delivered more than 1,370 copies of the 737 MAX aircraft and received orders for 4,000 copies.
