Mint Explainer: How have regulators and airlines responded to the Boeing crisis?
New Delhi: American aircraft manufacturer Boeing is under scrutiny once again for its 737 MAX aircraft after part of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max-9's fuselage blew out in midair on 5 January, forcing an emergency landing. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) immediately ordered three Indian airlines to conduct a one-time inspection of emergency exits on all their Boeing 737 Max-8 aircraft out. On Monday, Boeing shared instructions with airlines for inspecting their 737 Max-9 aircraft, after US regulators grounded 171 such planes because of the Alaska Airlines incident.
Then on Tuesday, the DGCA said inspections revealed a missing washer on a Boeing 737 Max plane operated by an Indian airline. Meanwhile, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines said they discovered loose parts on Boeing Max-9 jets during an inspection. Following this, Boeing issued a global call to scrutinise all 737 Max aircraft within 24 hours for 'possible loose hardware'.
Mint takes a closer look at the incident how Indian airlines have responded. On 5 January, Alaska Airlines flight 1282, operating between Portland and Ontario, California, made an emergency landing after part of the wall of the aircraft blew out, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane. The plane was carrying 174 passengers and six crew members, but nobody was seriously injured.
“Several guests onboard experienced injuries that required medical attention. All guests have now been medically cleared," Alaska Airlines said at the time. “The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has assumed the lead role in the investigation.
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