Alaska Airlines has said the temporary grounding of its Boeing 737 Max 9 fleet may cause the company's long-term profit growth to be below its target range of 4% to 8%. Earlier this month, the airline projected first-quarter loss per share of 55 cents, compared with analysts' estimates for a loss of $1.18 per share.

Alaska Airlines: Grounding of 737 max 9 fleet to hit profit

Legal challenges are piling up on Boeing and Alaska Airlines as more passengers drag them to the courts of law over the chilling emergency landing incident on January 5. In the latest setback, seven passengers on Thursday (Mar 14) filed a lawsuit in Washington’s King County superior court against the two companies. The seven men included Cuong Tran, a passenger who was on the verge of being sucked off the Boeing 737 Max 9 jet when a door-sized panel blew off midair. The incident caused rapid depressurisation in the cabin, severely threatening passengers and injuring them.

All seven men sustained injuries in the January 5 incident and they “feared for their lives”, said their attorneys.

This lawsuit runs parallel to other suits filed by passengers of the flight against Boeing and Alaska Airlines. One was filed in King County representing 22 passengers, another was brought by three Oregon passengers seeking $1bn in damages, and a third was filed in federal court representing 33 passengers.

<h2>What happened on January 5?</h2>

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the plane's door plug blew out as four crucial bolts were missing, prompting the NTSB to inquire further into the individuals responsible for working on the plug. Following the blowout, the head of Boeing’s 737 Max programme was removed from their position.

Watch:&nbsp;United Airlines finds loose bolts on multiple Boeing 737 Max 9 planes

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This incident also led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground certain Boeing 737 Max 9 planes for investigation, while the US Justice Department initiated a criminal inquiry into the company.

<h2>Boeing under pressure</h2>

The episode has intensified the scrutiny on Boeing, which was already facing questions following the crashing&nbsp;of two of its 737 Max 8 jets in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the death&nbsp;of 346 individuals.

Although the Alaska flight in January managed to land safely with no major injuries, attorneys in the recent lawsuit assert that several passengers suffered injuries and trauma.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjo6rTLoPWEAxW67TgGHY8oAFoQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/delta-airlines-foresees-potential-boeing-737-max-10-delay-until-2027-698946" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/delta-airlines-foresees-potential-boeing-737-max-10-delay-until-2027-698946&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjo6rTLoPWEAxW67TgGHY8oAFoQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">Delta Airlines foresees potential Boeing 737 Max 10 delay until 2027</a>

“One of the children of our clients lost his clothing – his shirt was sucked off,” said Ari Friedman, a lawyer representing the passengers.

“We can look at it through the lens of the product defects, or we can also look at it through the lens of what happens when companies think that they can start cutting corners, save their share price a few points&nbsp;at the expense of the travelling public and the communities that these planes fly,” Friedman added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Legal challenges are piling up on Boeing and Alaska Airlines as more passengers drag them to the courts of law over the chilling emergency landing incident on January 5.

Legal challenges are piling up on Boeing and Alaska Airlines as more passengers drag them to the courts of law over the chilling emergency landing incident on January 5. In the latest setback, seven passengers on Thursday (Mar 14) filed a lawsuit in Washington’s King County superior court against the two companies. The seven men included Cuong Tran, a passenger who was on the verge of being sucked off the Boeing 737 Max 9 jet when a door-sized panel blew off midair. The incident caused rapid depressurisation in the cabin, severely threatening passengers and injuring them. All seven men sustained injuries in the January 5 incident and they “feared for their lives”, said their attorneys. This lawsuit runs parallel to other suits filed by passengers of the flight against Boeing and Alaska Airlines. One was filed in King County representing 22 passengers, another was brought by three Oregon passengers seeking $1bn in damages, and a third was filed in federal court representing 33 passengers. What happened on January 5? The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the plane's door plug blew out as four crucial bolts were missing, prompting the NTSB to inquire further into the individuals responsible for working on the plug. Following the blowout, the head of Boeing’s 737 Max programme was removed from their position. Watch: United Airlines finds loose bolts on multiple Boeing 737 Max 9 planes × This incident also led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground certain Boeing 737 Max 9 planes for investigation, while the US Justice Department initiated a criminal inquiry into the company. Boeing under pressure The episode has intensified the scrutiny on Boeing, which was already facing questions following the crashing of two of its 737 Max 8 jets in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the death of 346 individuals. Although the Alaska flight in January managed to land safely with no major injuries, attorneys in the recent lawsuit assert that several passengers suffered injuries and trauma. Also read: Delta Airlines foresees potential Boeing 737 Max 10 delay until 2027 “One of the children of our clients lost his clothing – his shirt was sucked off,” said Ari Friedman, a lawyer representing the passengers. “We can look at it through the lens of the product defects, or we can also look at it through the lens of what happens when companies think that they can start cutting corners, save their share price a few points at the expense of the travelling public and the communities that these planes fly,” Friedman added. (With inputs from agencies)

Mid-air window blowout: Seven men who ‘feared for their lives’ sue Boeing, Alaska Air

Boeing used to be the gold standard in aviation as it made some of the best airplanes over decades. The aviation giant may not enjoy the same degree of synonymity any more, especially after string of crashes and issues with its 737 series. Now a former senior official of the company&nbsp;has told media that he would 'absolutely not' travel on&nbsp;Boeing 737 Max series planes&nbsp;because of safety concerns.

“I would absolutely not fly a Max airplane,” said Ed Pierson, a former senior manager on the 737 program.

“I’ve worked in the factory where they were built, and I saw the pressure employees were under to rush the planes out the door. I tried to get them to shut down before the first crash,” he was quoted as saying by the LA Times.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/boeing-faces-shareholder-lawsuit-over-safety-concerns-following-max-9-incident-686274">Boeing faces shareholder lawsuit over safety concerns following MAX 9 incident</a>

Boeing has been in the crosshairs of aviation watchdogs across the world including in the US. A recent issue with a Boeing plane run by Alaska Airlines forced&nbsp;US regulators to open&nbsp;an inquiry into Boeing with focus on its quality control practices.

Watch | US DSCA approves sale of 31 MQ-9B drones to India

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Pierson, who left Boeing in 2018,now works as an executive director at Foundation for Aviation Safety. He expressed displeasure at the way&nbsp;regulators allowed Max 9 planes to return to service last week.

“If you had a new car that had a part fall off of it and you had to pull over to the side of the road, and then you went to the shop, and the mechanic said, ‘Hey, I’m finding some other things wrong with it, but here you go, ready to go get out on the road,’ you would probably have some questions about [whether] anything else [has] been missed. So that’s a concern that we’ve had.” he told ABC7 San Francisco

<h2>What happened during Alaska Airlines incident?</h2>

On January 5, a door plug of the fuselage of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 fell off shortly after it took off from international airport in Portland, USA. This caused panel of the plane's body to fall off while it was still thousands of feet above the ground. Depressurisation of the cabin soon followed and objects began being sucked out of the plane through the gaping hole.

Fortunately, the pilots were able to control the aircraft and make an emergency landing in Oregon, Portland. There were no casualties or major injuries among the travellers and the crew.

(With inputs from agencies)

Boeing used to be the gold standard in aviation as it made some of the best airplanes over decades. The aviation giant may not enjoy the same degree of synonymity any more, especially after string of crashes and issues with its 737 series.

Boeing used to be the gold standard in aviation as it made some of the best airplanes over decades. The aviation giant may not enjoy the same degree of synonymity any more, especially after string of crashes and issues with its 737 series. Now a former senior official of the company has told media that he would 'absolutely not' travel on Boeing 737 Max series planes because of safety concerns. “I would absolutely not fly a Max airplane,” said Ed Pierson, a former senior manager on the 737 program. “I’ve worked in the factory where they were built, and I saw the pressure employees were under to rush the planes out the door. I tried to get them to shut down before the first crash,” he was quoted as saying by the LA Times. Also Read | Boeing faces shareholder lawsuit over safety concerns following MAX 9 incident Boeing has been in the crosshairs of aviation watchdogs across the world including in the US. A recent issue with a Boeing plane run by Alaska Airlines forced US regulators to open an inquiry into Boeing with focus on its quality control practices. Watch | US DSCA approves sale of 31 MQ-9B drones to India × Pierson, who left Boeing in 2018,now works as an executive director at Foundation for Aviation Safety. He expressed displeasure at the way regulators allowed Max 9 planes to return to service last week. “If you had a new car that had a part fall off of it and you had to pull over to the side of the road, and then you went to the shop, and the mechanic said, ‘Hey, I’m finding some other things wrong with it, but here you go, ready to go get out on the road,’ you would probably have some questions about [whether] anything else [has] been missed. So that’s a concern that we’ve had.” he told ABC7 San Francisco What happened during Alaska Airlines incident? On January 5, a door plug of the fuselage of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 fell off shortly after it took off from international airport in Portland, USA. This caused panel of the plane's body to fall off while it was still thousands of feet above the ground. Depressurisation of the cabin soon followed and objects began being sucked out of the plane through the gaping hole. Fortunately, the pilots were able to control the aircraft and make an emergency landing in Oregon, Portland. There were no casualties or major injuries among the travellers and the crew. (With inputs from agencies)

'Absolutely not', says ex-senior manager of Boeing about flying in 737 series of planes

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on Wednesday (Jan 24), announced that it has approved an inspection procedure for grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft which may pave the way for 171 grounded planes to come back into service.&nbsp;

The announcement comes weeks after the dramatic emergency landing of an Alaska Airlines flight due to a near-catastrophic incident where a panel known as a “door plug” blew out of the plane over the US state of Oregon.&nbsp;

<h2>FAA’s stern warning</h2>

While the FAA has approved an inspection procedure for the grounded Boeing planes, it also issued a stern warning to the American planemaker. “The January 5 Boeing 737-9 Max incident must never happen again,” said the US aviation watchdog, referring to the Alaska Airlines incident.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas: Boeing 737 Max: Parts missing from Indian plane

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&nbsp;

The FAA also said that it would not grant Boeing any production expansion of the 737 Max lineup while the safety probe is still underway.

&nbsp;“We grounded the Boeing 737-9 MAX within hours of the incident over Portland and made clear this aircraft would not go back into service until it was safe,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement.

“The exhaustive, enhanced review our team completed after several weeks of information gathering gives me and the FAA confidence to proceed to the inspection and maintenance phase,” it added.&nbsp;

In line with this, each of the 171 grounded aircraft must be thoroughly inspected, including the bolts, fittings and guide tracks for the door plug, the piece of fuselage that flew off during the Alaska Airlines incident.&nbsp;

The process would also include “detailed inspections of…dozens of associated components”.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alaska-airlines-inspection-shows-loose-bolts-on-many-boeing-737-max-9-planes-683047">&nbsp;Alaska Airlines inspection found loose bolts on 'many' Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes, CEO says</a>

In a statement Wednesday, the American planemaker said it will “continue to cooperate fully and transparently with the FAA and follow their direction as we take action to strengthen safety and quality at Boeing.”

<h2>‘Not business as usual’</h2>

Whitaker noted that the American planemaker is not out of the woods just yet. “However, let me be clear: This won’t be back to business as usual for Boeing,” said the FAA official.&nbsp;

He added, “We will not agree to any request from Boeing for an expansion in production or approve additional production lines for the 737 MAX until we are satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during this process are resolved.”

In a statement, United Airlines said it is targeting its Max 9s return to the skies on Sunday (Jan 28).&nbsp;

“In the days ahead, our teams will continue to proceed in a way that is thorough and puts safety and compliance first,” United Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Toby Enqvist, said in a statement on Wednesday evening.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/boeing-urges-bolt-tightening-after-737-max-9-hardware-issues-683119">Boeing urges bolt tightening after 737 MAX 9 hardware issues</a>

Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines, on Wednesday, said it expects the inspections to take 12 hours and for the first of its 737 Max 9 planes to return to service Friday (Jan 26). It said inspections would be completed next week.

Notably, several airlines, particularly Alaska and United Airlines have faced hundreds of cancellations a day because of the grounding.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on Wednesday (Jan 24), announced that it has approved an inspection procedure for grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft which may pave the way for 171 grounded planes to come back into service.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on Wednesday (Jan 24), announced that it has approved an inspection procedure for grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft which may pave the way for 171 grounded planes to come back into service. The announcement comes weeks after the dramatic emergency landing of an Alaska Airlines flight due to a near-catastrophic incident where a panel known as a “door plug” blew out of the plane over the US state of Oregon. FAA’s stern warning While the FAA has approved an inspection procedure for the grounded Boeing planes, it also issued a stern warning to the American planemaker. “The January 5 Boeing 737-9 Max incident must never happen again,” said the US aviation watchdog, referring to the Alaska Airlines incident. WATCH | Gravitas: Boeing 737 Max: Parts missing from Indian plane The FAA also said that it would not grant Boeing any production expansion of the 737 Max lineup while the safety probe is still underway. “We grounded the Boeing 737-9 MAX within hours of the incident over Portland and made clear this aircraft would not go back into service until it was safe,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement. “The exhaustive, enhanced review our team completed after several weeks of information gathering gives me and the FAA confidence to proceed to the inspection and maintenance phase,” it added. In line with this, each of the 171 grounded aircraft must be thoroughly inspected, including the bolts, fittings and guide tracks for the door plug, the piece of fuselage that flew off during the Alaska Airlines incident. The process would also include “detailed inspections of…dozens of associated components”. ALSO READ | Alaska Airlines inspection found loose bolts on 'many' Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes, CEO says In a statement Wednesday, the American planemaker said it will “continue to cooperate fully and transparently with the FAA and follow their direction as we take action to strengthen safety and quality at Boeing.” ‘Not business as usual’ Whitaker noted that the American planemaker is not out of the woods just yet. “However, let me be clear: This won’t be back to business as usual for Boeing,” said the FAA official. He added, “We will not agree to any request from Boeing for an expansion in production or approve additional production lines for the 737 MAX until we are satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during this process are resolved.” In a statement, United Airlines said it is targeting its Max 9s return to the skies on Sunday (Jan 28). “In the days ahead, our teams will continue to proceed in a way that is thorough and puts safety and compliance first,” United Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, Toby Enqvist, said in a statement on Wednesday evening. ALSO READ | Boeing urges bolt tightening after 737 MAX 9 hardware issues Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines, on Wednesday, said it expects the inspections to take 12 hours and for the first of its 737 Max 9 planes to return to service Friday (Jan 26). It said inspections would be completed next week. Notably, several airlines, particularly Alaska and United Airlines have faced hundreds of cancellations a day because of the grounding. (With inputs from agencies)

Boeing 737 Max 9s may return to operations as US aviation watchdog approves inspection procedure

United Airlines says it has discovered loose bolts and other installation issues on Boeing 737 Max 9 planes. The inspection was carried after the same passenger plane of Alaska Airlines made an emergency landing on friday after its door plug component blew out at 16,000 feet in the air.

United Airlines finds loose bolts on multiple Boeing 737 Max 9 planes | World News | WION

Alaska Airlines said on Wednesday (Jan 10) it would cancel all flights on 737 MAX 9 jets through Saturday (Jan 13) as it continues to wait for regulatory approvals to resume flying after a cabin panel blowout Boeing suggested was caused by a "quality" issue.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Saturday grounded 171 Boeing jets installed with the same panel after the emergency landing, including Alaska Airlines' 65 MAX 9s.

The move has forced the cancellation of about 20 per cent of the Seattle-based airline's daily schedule for five consecutive days and 150 flights for Thursday.

United Airlines, the other US 737 MAX 9 operator with 79 of the planes in its fleet, said it had cancelled 167 flights on Wednesday and expected "significant" cancellations on Thursday as well.&nbsp;

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg declined to say on Wednesday when the FAA may allow the planes to resume flights but said it would only be when safe.

"The only consideration on the timeline is safety," Buttigieg told reporters. "Until it is ready, it is not ready. Nobody can or should be rushed in that process."

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun told CNBC on Wednesday that a "quality escape" was at issue in the MAX 9 cabin blowout that left a gaping hole in the plane that had been in service for just eight weeks, but added key questions remained.

"What broke down in our gauntlet of inspections? What broke down in the original work that allowed for that escape to happen?" Calhoun said.

A quality escape was "a description of what people are finding in their inspections...anything that could potentially contribute to an accident," he added.&nbsp;

Boeing on Tuesday told staff the findings were being treated as a "quality control issue" and checks were underway at Boeing and supplier Spirit AeroSystems, Reuters reported previously.

Calhoun said he had spoken to Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to ensure there was no repeat of the cabin panel blowout on any MAX 9 after Friday's incident.

The grounding has rekindled frustration among airlines over the planemaker's struggle to contain a series of safety and supply crises, industry officials and experts said.

Watch:&nbsp;US grounds 171 Boeing planes after Alaska Airlines window blows out mid-air

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<h2>Inspection instructions needed</h2>

Alaska Airlines and United said on Monday they had found loose parts on multiple grounded aircraft, raising new concerns among industry experts about how Boeing's best-selling jet family is manufactured.

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.

"We will only return these aircraft to service when all findings have been fully resolved and meet all FAA and Alaska’s stringent standards," Alaska Airlines said.

The International Association of Machinists (IAM), a union representing workers at fuselage maker Spirit and at Boeing's factory in Renton, Washington that produces the 737, has been appointed a party to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) investigation, an IAM spokesperson said on Wednesday evening.

The spokesperson did not provide further details.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/heres-how-the-newly-found-door-plug-may-help-understand-alaska-airlines-mid-air-blowout-678113">Also read |&nbsp;Here's how the newly-found door 'plug' may help understand Alaska Airlines' mid-air blowout</a>

The NTSB confirmed the IAM's involvement. Spirit's interim CEO Patrick Shanahan was in Seattle over the weekend at Boeing's invitation in a crisis room "listening to all of what we are trying to collect in the production process, taken it back to his team, interrogating their processes, alongside of our people," Calhoun said.&nbsp;

Spirit said on Wednesday a company team was now supporting the NTSB's investigation directly, adding it remained "focused on the quality of each aircraft structure that leaves our facilities."&nbsp;

The NTSB is focusing in part on whether the recovered cabin panel that blew off had been properly attached. Buttigieg said he told Calhoun how important it was for Boeing to address the issue in the MAX 9 and to ensure every plane it delivered was "100 per cent safe."&nbsp;

Buttigieg said the FAA "will continue with a very, very strict level of oversight" to ensure that.

The transportation secretary said he had also spoken to the United and Alaska Airlines CEOs and they agreed to take care of passengers whose flights have been cancelled because of the grounding.&nbsp;

Buttigieg said the dramatic photos of the gaping hole led him to think what he would have done in that circumstance, which NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy described as "terrifying".

"I was on a plane a day or two later, with my two-year-old son sitting in the window seat next to me," Buttigieg said. "No passengers should go through what those passengers went through."

Alaska Airlines said on Wednesday (Jan 10) it would cancel all flights on 737 MAX 9 jets through Saturday (Jan 13) as it continues to wait for regulatory approvals to resume flying after a cabin panel blowout Boeing suggested was caused by a "quality" issue.

Alaska Airlines said on Wednesday (Jan 10) it would cancel all flights on 737 MAX 9 jets through Saturday (Jan 13) as it continues to wait for regulatory approvals to resume flying after a cabin panel blowout Boeing suggested was caused by a "quality" issue. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Saturday grounded 171 Boeing jets installed with the same panel after the emergency landing, including Alaska Airlines' 65 MAX 9s. The move has forced the cancellation of about 20 per cent of the Seattle-based airline's daily schedule for five consecutive days and 150 flights for Thursday. United Airlines, the other US 737 MAX 9 operator with 79 of the planes in its fleet, said it had cancelled 167 flights on Wednesday and expected "significant" cancellations on Thursday as well. US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg declined to say on Wednesday when the FAA may allow the planes to resume flights but said it would only be when safe. "The only consideration on the timeline is safety," Buttigieg told reporters. "Until it is ready, it is not ready. Nobody can or should be rushed in that process." Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun told CNBC on Wednesday that a "quality escape" was at issue in the MAX 9 cabin blowout that left a gaping hole in the plane that had been in service for just eight weeks, but added key questions remained. "What broke down in our gauntlet of inspections? What broke down in the original work that allowed for that escape to happen?" Calhoun said. A quality escape was "a description of what people are finding in their inspections...anything that could potentially contribute to an accident," he added. Boeing on Tuesday told staff the findings were being treated as a "quality control issue" and checks were underway at Boeing and supplier Spirit AeroSystems, Reuters reported previously. Calhoun said he had spoken to Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to ensure there was no repeat of the cabin panel blowout on any MAX 9 after Friday's incident. The grounding has rekindled frustration among airlines over the planemaker's struggle to contain a series of safety and supply crises, industry officials and experts said. Watch: US grounds 171 Boeing planes after Alaska Airlines window blows out mid-air Inspection instructions needed Alaska Airlines and United said on Monday they had found loose parts on multiple grounded aircraft, raising new concerns among industry experts about how Boeing's best-selling jet family is manufactured. 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. "We will only return these aircraft to service when all findings have been fully resolved and meet all FAA and Alaska’s stringent standards," Alaska Airlines said. The International Association of Machinists (IAM), a union representing workers at fuselage maker Spirit and at Boeing's factory in Renton, Washington that produces the 737, has been appointed a party to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) investigation, an IAM spokesperson said on Wednesday evening. The spokesperson did not provide further details. Also read | Here's how the newly-found door 'plug' may help understand Alaska Airlines' mid-air blowout The NTSB confirmed the IAM's involvement. Spirit's interim CEO Patrick Shanahan was in Seattle over the weekend at Boeing's invitation in a crisis room "listening to all of what we are trying to collect in the production process, taken it back to his team, interrogating their processes, alongside of our people," Calhoun said. Spirit said on Wednesday a company team was now supporting the NTSB's investigation directly, adding it remained "focused on the quality of each aircraft structure that leaves our facilities." The NTSB is focusing in part on whether the recovered cabin panel that blew off had been properly attached. Buttigieg said he told Calhoun how important it was for Boeing to address the issue in the MAX 9 and to ensure every plane it delivered was "100 per cent safe." Buttigieg said the FAA "will continue with a very, very strict level of oversight" to ensure that. The transportation secretary said he had also spoken to the United and Alaska Airlines CEOs and they agreed to take care of passengers whose flights have been cancelled because of the grounding. Buttigieg said the dramatic photos of the gaping hole led him to think what he would have done in that circumstance, which NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy described as "terrifying". "I was on a plane a day or two later, with my two-year-old son sitting in the window seat next to me," Buttigieg said. "No passengers should go through what those passengers went through."

Boeing's mid-air door blowout: US transportation head gives no timeline for return of 737 Max 9 planes

The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said on Monday (Jan 8) that data on the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) in the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max was overwritten. The NTSB chair said that no data was found as the recorder starts erasing previous data after two hours and the CVR was not retrieved within two hours.&nbsp;

"There was a lot going on, on the flight deck and on the plane. It's a very chaotic event. The circuit breaker for the CVR (cockpit voice recorder) was not pulled. The maintenance team went out to get it, but it was right at about the two-hour mark," said NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy as quoted by Reuters.

The Alaska Airlines aircraft lost a panel mid-flight on Friday last week. The loss of part of the fuselage caused the cabin to depressurise and objects to get sucked outside the plane while it was in the air.

There were 171 passengers in the plane when the incident took place.

Watch | US grounds 171 Boeing planes after Alaska Airlines window blows out mid-air

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In the United States, rules mandate that cockpit voice recorders should record two hours of data as opposed to 25 hours as required in Europe for aircraft made after 2021.

Homendy said that Alaska Airlines plane's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were sent for analysis but no voice recording could be obtained.

Both, flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder are essential during investigation of any plane crash or a major mishap as it helps investigators recreate the situation when the plane was in jeopardy.

<h2>'Change the rulemaking'</h2>

The NTSB has long been vocal in its demand that rules in US be changed to mandate 25-hour recording. On Monday, it made a same demand.

"I'm calling on the FAA to change the rulemaking," Homendy said

A month ago, US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was proposing 25-hour recording but only for new planes.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-loud-boom-guts-of-wind-alaska-airlines-passengers-recall-the-moment-door-of-plane-fell-off-677838">A loud boom, guts of wind: Alaska Airlines passengers recall the moment door of plane fell off</a>

Homendy on Monday told Reuters that all aircraft, including the old ones, should have 25-hour recorders.

"If that communication is not recorded, that is unfortunately a loss for us and a loss for the FAA and a loss for safety because that information is key not just for our investigation but for improving aviation safety," she said.

<h2>What's the holdup?</h2>

Recording cockpit conversations for the period of 25-hours may sound like a logical solution but the pilots union oppose such a move.

"(It) would significantly infringe upon the privacy rights of pilots and other flight crew members, as well as drastically increase the likelihood that CVR recordings will be misused or disseminated without authorisation," said a union representing pilots of Atlas Air, an air-freight company.

<h2>What's the deal with Boeing 737s anyway?</h2>

Airplanes from Boeing 737 series have long been in the crosshairs of regulators around the world as these planes have suffered major crashes and other safety issues.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alaska-airlines-emergency-iphone-survives-16000-ft-fall-after-planes-door-blows-out-mid-air-677886">Alaska Airlines emergency: iPhone survives 16,000-ft fall after plane's door blows out mid-air</a>

Boeing 737 Max were grounded across the world in 2020 after crashes in 2018 and 2019. Even after the latest Alaska Airlines incident, the FAA has ordered grounding of all Boeing Max 9 planes as investigation progresses.

The constant association with hazards has marred 737s and also Boeing whose shares have tanked by nearly 40 per cent since March 2019 while rival Airbus' shares have shot up by 25 per cent.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said on Monday (Jan 8) that data on the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) in the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max was overwritten.

The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said on Monday (Jan 8) that data on the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) in the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max was overwritten. The NTSB chair said that no data was found as the recorder starts erasing previous data after two hours and the CVR was not retrieved within two hours. "There was a lot going on, on the flight deck and on the plane. It's a very chaotic event. The circuit breaker for the CVR (cockpit voice recorder) was not pulled. The maintenance team went out to get it, but it was right at about the two-hour mark," said NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy as quoted by Reuters. The Alaska Airlines aircraft lost a panel mid-flight on Friday last week. The loss of part of the fuselage caused the cabin to depressurise and objects to get sucked outside the plane while it was in the air. There were 171 passengers in the plane when the incident took place. Watch | US grounds 171 Boeing planes after Alaska Airlines window blows out mid-air × In the United States, rules mandate that cockpit voice recorders should record two hours of data as opposed to 25 hours as required in Europe for aircraft made after 2021. Homendy said that Alaska Airlines plane's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were sent for analysis but no voice recording could be obtained. Both, flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder are essential during investigation of any plane crash or a major mishap as it helps investigators recreate the situation when the plane was in jeopardy. 'Change the rulemaking' The NTSB has long been vocal in its demand that rules in US be changed to mandate 25-hour recording. On Monday, it made a same demand. "I'm calling on the FAA to change the rulemaking," Homendy said A month ago, US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was proposing 25-hour recording but only for new planes. Also Read | A loud boom, guts of wind: Alaska Airlines passengers recall the moment door of plane fell off Homendy on Monday told Reuters that all aircraft, including the old ones, should have 25-hour recorders. "If that communication is not recorded, that is unfortunately a loss for us and a loss for the FAA and a loss for safety because that information is key not just for our investigation but for improving aviation safety," she said. What's the holdup? Recording cockpit conversations for the period of 25-hours may sound like a logical solution but the pilots union oppose such a move. "(It) would significantly infringe upon the privacy rights of pilots and other flight crew members, as well as drastically increase the likelihood that CVR recordings will be misused or disseminated without authorisation," said a union representing pilots of Atlas Air, an air-freight company. What's the deal with Boeing 737s anyway? Airplanes from Boeing 737 series have long been in the crosshairs of regulators around the world as these planes have suffered major crashes and other safety issues. Also Read | Alaska Airlines emergency: iPhone survives 16,000-ft fall after plane's door blows out mid-air Boeing 737 Max were grounded across the world in 2020 after crashes in 2018 and 2019. Even after the latest Alaska Airlines incident, the FAA has ordered grounding of all Boeing Max 9 planes as investigation progresses. The constant association with hazards has marred 737s and also Boeing whose shares have tanked by nearly 40 per cent since March 2019 while rival Airbus' shares have shot up by 25 per cent. (With inputs from agencies)

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737’s cockpit voice recorder data erased, says US NTSB

The aviation industry has already witnessed two major incidents at the start of 2024. While a Japan Airlines flight crashed into a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 9 flight of Alaska Airlines had its door blown off, prompting the airline to ground it for checks.

The aviation industry has already witnessed two major incidents at the start of 2024. While a Japan Airlines flight crashed into a Japanese Coast Guard aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 9 flight of Alaska Airlines had its door blown off, prompting the airline to ground it for checks. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also issued emergency directives for the aircraft. Here's everything you need to know about the Indian airlines that operate the Boeing 737 Max. Which airlines in India operate the Boeing 737 Max? Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and Air India Express are the three airlines which operate the Max type. However, the FAA mandate does not affect Indian airlines as they do not use Max 9. All 40 registered aircraft in India are Max 8, with Akasa Air flying a sole Max 8200, the Hindustan Times reported. Akasa Air has 22 Max-type aircraft, the most in the country. These are the only planes with the airline, implying that they function their entire network by flying the Boeing 737 Max 8 type. They currently fly to 16 destinations and are planning to add foreign destinations soon. ALSO READ | India summons Maldives high commissioner over derogatory remarks against PM Modi SpiceJet and Air India Express have nine MAX-type aircraft each. Air Indian Express uses MAX 8 for its newly launched flight from Bengaluru to Kannur, Trivandrum, Mangalore, and Varanasi. The airline also operates flights from Hyderabad to Amritsar and Lucknow using the MAX 8. However, since it has several other options like B737NG, A320neo, and A320ceo, the routes for Max 8 are subject to changes. Meanwhile, SpiceJet generally deploys these planes on international routes, like Dubai, Bangkok, and Jeddah. However, according to Flightradar24, the airline has used the Max type for domestic routes. These include flights to Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Pune, Darbhanga, Patna, Srinagar, Jammu, Kolkata, and Port Blair. After the Alaska incident, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered all Indian operators with the 737 Max 8 aircraft to check their functioning, especially the proper closing of all over-wing emergency exits. The DGCA ordered these checks as a precautionary measure. The authorities examined four 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by Air India Express, eight by SpiceJet and 20 by Akasa Air. The Indian regulator said there were no adverse findings, and the aircraft's performance was satisfactory. In 2019, the DGCA banned the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in India after the Ethiopian Airlines crash. However, they returned to India in 2021. (With inputs from agencies)

Alaska Incident: Which Indian airlines fly the Boeing 737 MAX?

Spicejet will induct 50 Boeing 737 max planes by 2022-23. Spicejet hopes to phase out its older 737 older Boeing 77 800 ng and replace them with fuel-efficient max planes.

India: Spicejet's global operations to be expanded

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