Alaska Airlines

A photo from the National Transportation Safety Board shows seats that were near the door plug expelled from a Boeing 737 Max 9 in flight. Seats 26A and 26B were unoccupied — a fact that helped prevent the incident from being worse, officials said.

National

FBI letter tells Alaska Airlines passengers they are 'a possible victim of a crime'

3:47pm March 22, 2024

by Bill Chappell

"We want answers, accountability, and safer planes" — and a federal investigation will help, an attorney representing passengers who were on the plane that lost its door plug tells NPR.

A Boeing 737 MAX 9 for Alaska Airlines is pictured along with other aircraft at Renton Municipal Airport adjacent to Boeing's factory in Washington. Alaska Airlines resumed service of its 737 MAX 9 fleet on January 26, 2024, three weeks after an emergency landing prompted sweeping inspections of the aircraft.

National

The Boeing 737 Max 9 takes off again, but the company faces more turbulence ahead

6:00am January 27, 2024

by Joel Rose

The first 737 Max 9 planes have started flying again after a fuselage panel blew off in midair last week. But industry analysts say Boeing's reputation will take a lot longer to repair.

Queue Listen Now

Alaska Airlines N704AL, a 737 Max 9, which made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport on Jan. 5, is parked at a maintenance hanger in Portland, Ore., this week.

National

Here's how to tell if your next flight is on a Boeing 737 Max 9

11:32am January 26, 2024

by Diba Mohtasham

After a green light from the FAA, the Max 9 is set to return to the skies. Here's what travelers need to know about the plane after a terrifying scene on an Alaska Airlines flight earlier this month.

A United Airlines Boeing 737-900ER arrives at Los Angeles International Airport in 2019.

National

The FAA says airlines should check the door plugs on another model of Boeing plane

3:41pm January 22, 2024

by Joel Rose

The Federal Aviation Administration is recommending that airlines visually inspect the door plugs of Boeing 737-900ER jets after some airlines reported unspecified issues with the bolts.

Then-President Barack Obama walks down the stairs of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at the company's production facility in Everett, Wash., in 2012.

'Cozy' relationship between Boeing and the U.S. draws scrutiny amid 737 Max 9 mess

3:03pm January 19, 2024

by Joel Rose

The latest safety lapse at Boeing renews concerns about the company's influence in Washington and whether federal regulators have delegated too much of their oversight authority to its employees.

Queue Listen Now

the Federal Aviation Administration has grounded 171 of the 737 Max 9 planes in the United States, as it conducts an audit of the Boeing's production line. FAA officials have said the regulator is considering adding an independent third-party inspector to oversee Boeing inspections and quality.

National

Amid scrutiny, Boeing promises more quality checks. But is it enough?

5:02am January 17, 2024

by Vanessa Romo

The aircraft maker is under renewed pressure to strengthen quality management across its production lines. But critics say a fundamental cultural shift is needed.

The door plug area of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, seen with the paneling removed, awaits inspection Wednesday at the airline's facilities at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Wash.

National

The FAA is tightening oversight of Boeing and will audit production of the 737 Max 9

3:11pm January 12, 2024

by Joel Rose

Regulators say they're increasing control of Boeing production after a panel blew off a 737 Max 9 jet, and will re-examine whether the company can be trusted to assess the safety of its own planes.

Queue Listen Now

A plastic sheet covers part of the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 at Portland International Airport on Jan. 8. NTSB investigators are trying to learn why the aircraft suffered a midair fuselage blowout last Friday.

National

A recent lawsuit alleges 'excessive' defects at Boeing parts supplier

11:14am January 12, 2024

by Bill Chappell

The lawsuit doesn't specifically mention door plug systems like the one that failed last week. But it adds to the scrutiny of Spirit AeroSystems, which has been linked to other problems.

Alaska Airlines N704AL, a 737 Max 9 which made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport after a part of the fuselage broke off mid-flight on Friday, is parked at a maintenance hanger in Portland, Ore., Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024.

National

Alaska Airlines cancels all flights on the Boeing 737 Max 9 through Saturday

1:08am January 11, 2024

by The Associated Press

The airline said that it would cancel 110 to 150 flights a day while the Max 9 planes remain grounded, as signs indicate some travelers may at least temporarily try to avoid flying on Max 9 jetliners.

This photo shows the gaping hole where the panel used to plug an area reserved for an exit door on a Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner blew out Jan. 5, shortly after the flight took off from Portland, Ore., forcing the plane to return to Portland International Airport.

National

United Airlines finds loose bolts, other problems on grounded Boeing jets

5:15pm January 08, 2024

by Joel Rose

About 170 planes were grounded after the "door plug" on a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight. United and Alaska are the two big U.S. carriers that fly Boeing jets with door plugs.