Air transport

Boeing 737: new defect in fuselage, safety and deliveries at risk

Spirit AeroSystems detects improper holes. FAA intensifies checks, United and Alaska Airlines consider alternatives.

5 February 2024

2' min read

There is no rest for Boeing, which has discovered another problem in the fuselage of the 737 aircraft in production. It was one of its main suppliers, Spirit AeroSystems, which discovered improperly drilled holes in the body of the aircraft, a circumstance that could cause a setback and further slow down deliveries already curtailed by regulators precisely because of numerous quality defects.

"Although what has been detected does not represent an immediate safety issue and all 737s can continue to operate safely, we currently believe that an inspection should be carried out on approximately 50 aircraft that have not yet been delivered," said Stan Deal, Boeing's commercial division CEO in a letter to employees.

This latest defect follows a series of production errors by Boeing, including the near-catastrophic rupture of a panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max last month. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stepped up its scrutiny of Boeing's production systems and suppliers and halted production of 737s until quality improves.

In the latter case, it was allegedly a Spirit employee who reported that the two holes in the aircraft fuselage did not conform to specifications.

Many employees have expressed dissatisfaction with the way work is done both on the supplier side and within the factories. Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems are facing a thorough audit of the quality of their work following the Alaska accident. The National Transportation Safety Board (Ntsb) is investigating the accident, while the FAA is checking whether Boeing and its suppliers followed quality control procedures. Boeing's shares, already down 20 per cent since January, slipped another 2.4 per cent.

The problems with Boeing's 737 Max have raised heavy criticism among some of the American manufacturer's major customers. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said he would consider alternative aircraft, while Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci, after estimating the damage at around $150 million, said: 'I'm more than frustrated and disappointed. I'm angry'.

Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, the only other US airline flying the Max 9, reported finding loose bolts in the door caps of other planes they inspected after the accident. The FAA grounded all Max 9s in the US the day after the explosion and two weeks later approved the necessary procedure to get the planes back in the air. Alaska Airlines and United Airlines started to return some 737 Maxes to service.