US regulator launches official probe into Boeing model
The US Federal Aviation Administration is launching a formal investigation into the Boeing 737 MAX 9 after a cabin panel blew off an Alaska Airlines flight while in mid-air last week, forcing an emergency landing, the regulator said on Thursday. The FAA grounded 171 Boeing jets installed with the same panel after the landing, most of which are operated by US carriers Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, pending safety inspections. It is still unclear when the planes will be cleared to fly again, and the incident is the latest in a series of events that have shaken the industry's confidence in the aircraft manufacturer. The FAA said the Alaska Airlines MAX 9 incident "should have never happened and it cannot happen again." It told Boeing of the investigation in a letter on Wednesday "to determine if Boeing failed to ensure completed products conformed to its approved design and were in a condition for safe operation in compliance with FAA regulations" and after learning of "additional discrepancies." “We will cooperate fully and transparently with the FAA and the NTSB on their investigations," Boeing said in a statement. Boeing shares were down 1.2 percent on Thursday. Both Alaska and United said on Monday they had found loose parts on multiple grounded aircraft during preliminary checks, raising new concerns about how Boeing's best-selling jet family is manufactured. The two carriers have canceled numerous flights with the planes grounded. The carriers still need revised inspection and maintenance instructions from Boeing that must be approved by the FAA before they can begin flying the planes again. Boeing ended 2023 in second place behind rival Airbus in aircraft deliveries for the fifth year running, after seeing its roughly 50 percent share of the market eroded by the earlier crisis. Airbus posted record annual jet orders on Thursday, booking nearly 2,100 net new orders in 2023, while Boeing booked 1,314 net new orders. (Reuters)