Alaska Airlines began preliminary inspections of some of its Boeing 737-900MAX aircraft last weekend while Boeing is trying to get its proposed safety checks approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
This is after the grounding of the aircraft variant.
The FAA requires more data from Boeing before it approves the airline manufacturer’s proposed inspections and the maintenance instructions to be used to conduct the final inspections to return the 737-900MAX to service safely.
The inspections and remedial action follow a mid-air blowout during an Alaska Airlines flight, forcing a plane to make an emergency landing 10 days ago.
No Boeing 737-900 MAX aircraft are allowed to fly in America until the investigation is completed and any remedial action is taken.
Alaska Airlines said it had been in conversation with Boeing’s CEO and leadership team last week to discuss the airline’s manufacturing quality improvement plans to “ensure the delivery of the highest quality aircraft off the production line for Alaska”.
Nine airlines worldwide use the aircraft.
United Airlines and Alaska Airlines bore the brunt of a total of 4 324 scheduled flights using the affected aircraft having to be delayed or cancelled as alternative aircraft were found in the immediate aftermath of the incident and subsequent grounding of all 737-900MAX Boeings.
