‘Only if I had a Death Wish’: Why Boeing 787 Dreamliner is haunted by safety lapses, faulty parts and whistleblower tragedies?

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was launched as a next-generation aircraft focused on fuel efficiency and passenger comfort, using composite materials instead of traditional aluminium. However, over the years, repeated concerns have emerged around its safety, manufacturing integrity, and quality control processes.

John Barnett, a former Boeing quality manager, alleged that nearly 25 per cent of emergency oxygen systems on some 787 aircraft could fail during cabin depressurisation. An FAA probe later identified non-conforming parts, validating aspects of Barnett’s claims. Boeing denied the risk level posed by the issue, yet the FAA mandated corrective steps.

Investigations and whistleblower accounts suggest Boeing’s Charleston, South Carolina facility—where 787s are built—may have prioritised speed over safety. Workers reportedly used scrap parts to meet deadlines, and some safety inspections were allegedly skipped or falsified.

Former Boeing engineer Vince Weldon raised alarms about the Dreamliner’s carbon-fibre composite body. He argued that in crash scenarios, these materials might shatter or burn more dangerously than aluminium, potentially releasing toxic fumes. Although regulators dismissed his warnings, they remain a topic of ongoing debate.

A 2014 Al Jazeera investigation included footage of Boeing staff where he was asked if he would fly on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, to which the staff member replied, “only if I had a death wish.” Some workers were recorded suggesting that drug use and mental health issues were common on the factory floor, raising questions about operational oversight.

Since 2019, deliveries of the 787 have been suspended multiple times due to structural problems, including gaps between fuselage sections and flaws in the horizontal stabiliser. These issues led the FAA to revoke Boeing’s authority to self-certify quality inspections for the aircraft.