United, Alaska Airlines find loose parts on Boeing 737 Max 9 planes

While the investigation into how a panel detached during an Alaska Airlines flight Friday night, Jan. 5, continues, concern is growing about the safety of Boeing’s 737 Max 9 planes after United Airlines made a startling discovery. The FAA grounded 171 Max 9 planes after the panel flew off midflight. The agency called for inspections of the Boeing model.

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“The FAA’s priority is always keeping Americans safe,” the agency said in a statement. “In that spirit, Boeing 737-9 aircraft will remain grounded until operators complete enhanced inspections which include both left and right cabin door exit plugs, door components, and fasteners.”

On Monday, Jan. 8, United said its preliminary checks found loose bolts on several panels; sources told Reuters that at least 10 of United’s Max 9 planes have been found to have this issue. The airline said it had to cancel 200 flights on Monday, Jan. 8, due to the emergency inspections and expects significant cancellations on Tuesday, Jan. 9, as well.

“Since we began preliminary inspections on Saturday, we have found instances that appear to relate to installation issues in the door plug — for example, bolts that needed additional tightening,” United said. “These findings will be remedied by our Tech Ops team to safely return the aircraft to service.”

Alaska Airlines also announced that its technicians found “loose hardware” on some of its planes. Federal investigators said late on Monday, Jan. 8, that they are looking into the possibility that the bolts to keep the panel in place were never installed before the piece blew off the Alaska Airlines flight.

“We are committed to ensuring every Boeing airplane meets design specifications and the highest safety and quality standards,” Boeing said. “We regret the impact this has had on our customers and their passengers.”