- Boeing is taking several actions to try to solve concerns following the Alaska Airlines blowout.
- On Thursday, factory workers will pause production for sessions on improving quality control.
Boeing's factory teams working on the 737 will pause production for a day to take part in lessons focused on improving quality control, the manufacturer said Tuesday.
The first "quality stand down" will take place for staff in Renton, Washington on Thursday, with more to follow at other factories over the next two weeks.
"During the stand downs, teammates will participate in hands-on learning, reflection, and collaboration to identify where quality and compliance can be improved and create actionable plans that will be tracked to closure," said Stan Deal, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
It's part of a series of moves intended to solve Boeing's problems as it deals with criticism in the wake of the Alaska Airlines blowout.
Boeing's other steps include inviting airlines to visit the factories and inspect its procedures; a review of its supplier Spirit AeroSystems; and an independent assessment led by a retired Navy admiral.
Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 suffered an uncontrolled decompression on January 5 when its door plug came off in midair. Nobody was seriously injured, but all 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 jets with a door plug have been grounded since.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board found that the four bolts keeping the door plug in place were missing. Tests are underway to determine if they were ever installed.
Also on Tuesday, the boss of the Federal Aviation Administration told CNN's Pete Muntean its investigation is focused on Boeing's quality-control process rather than the design of the 737 Max 9 door plug.
NEW: FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker tells me its probe of the Alaska Airlines blowout is focused on Boeing quality control issues.
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) January 23, 2024
The 737 Max 9 door plug design is good "when properly executed," but "where we are looking now is quality assurance and quality control at Boeing." pic.twitter.com/YtYHR0mfnz
Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, the two biggest operators of the 737 Max 9, found loose bolts on several of the planes during inspections after the grounding.
And the CEOs of both airlines have had strong words for the manufacturer this week.
"It makes you mad that we're finding issues like that on brand-new airplanes," Alaska's Ben Minicucci told NBC.
And United's Scott Kirby said he was building an alternative plan without the Boeing 737 Max 10, which has faced certification delays, as "The Max 9 grounding is probably the straw that broke the camel's back for us."