United finds loose bolts on plug doors during 737 Max 9 inspections (theaircurrent.com)

Article summary

United Airlines found loose bolts on the plug doors of at least five of its 737 Max 9 aircraft during inspections, following a similar issue on an Alaska Airlines flight. The Federal Aviation Administration had issued an emergency airworthiness directive after the Alaska Airlines incident. The loose bolts were found on aircraft delivered to United between November 2022 and September 2023. The issue may widen the fallout from the grounding of the 737 Max 9 fleet.

Main themes

• Aviation Safety
• Boeing 737 Max
• Aircraft Design
• Regulatory Cooperation
• Public Trust
• Airline Industry Safety Record

What commenters say

• The loose bolts on the plug doors may not have compromised the integrity of the fuselage seal due to the door's design.
• The failure of the door may have been caused by a combination of factors, including the door's design and the pressure difference during decompression.
• The incident highlights the potential risks of outward-opening doors, which may be more mechanically risky than plug-style doors.
• Some commenters believe that the 737 Max's issues may lead to consumers refusing to fly on these aircraft, while others think that consumers have limited choice and that airlines' buying decisions will be influenced by Boeing's reputation.
• The US airline industry's safety record is impressive, with no fatal crashes in nearly 25 years, but some commenters note that this streak may not continue indefinitely.
• Regulatory cooperation between the US and European authorities is important, and unilateral actions by one regulator may lead to countermeasures from the other.
• The 737 Max's issues may ultimately lead to a loss of public trust in Boeing and the aviation industry as a whole.