Published 19:46 IST, October 20th 2019
Boeing attempts to revive 737 Max worldwide, faces customer distrust
After the two air crashes which killed 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia, Boeing is looking for ways to revive internationally all the grounded 737 Max jets
The two air crashes of Boeing 737 Max, which killed nearly 346 people consecutively in just six months in Indonesia and Ethiopia has clouded the credibility of the company and safety of their jets. After the crashes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had instructed all Boeing jets to be inspected under an emergency notice. However, now the manufacturer, Boeing is looking for ways to revive all the grounded 737 Max jets worldwide despite safety concerns. Inspections by airport officials had revealed the presence of cracks near wings in some Boeing jets. Boeing has also started sharing clips on their Social media channels where their employees talk about how safety was their main priority at Boeing.
'Could not say it'
However, as this clip made it to their Facebook account, the potential customers mocked Boeing. The company and said that Jennifer Henderson, a chief test pilot for the 737 in the video could not have said that the planes are unsafe.
Boeing is still facing challenges in getting customers to trust them again. In another clip, the CEO of the company, Dennis A. Muilenburg talks about how the employees are implementing the recommendations from their Board of Directors.
Cracks discovered
Boeing Co said on October 10 that the airline had conducted an inspection of 810 of the company's 737 NG jets worldwide and found 38 structural cracks that require repair and replacement of the damaged parts. The planes will be grounded until the final repairs have been made. The cracks have been discovered in an area that attaches the plane's fuselage to the wing structure and manages forces. The 737 NG version is the third generation aircraft and is the version before the currently grounded 737 MAX, which is not impacted by the cracking issue.
Boeing planes
The FAA had ordered nearly 165 US planes to be inspected within seven days. Furthermore, a larger group of more than 1,700 planes with nearly 22,600 flights have to check before they fly for another 1,000 times. These planes are Boeing 737 version called the NG or next generation. Currently, the company is replacing NG with 737 Max. However, the 737 Max versions will also remain grounded worldwide after two crashes reportedly killed 346 people. Southwest airlines have more than 700 Boeing 737s along with 34 Max jets which are grounded. American, United, and Delta said that none of their Boeing jets needed inspection within seven days. American and United said that they have nearly 80 planes, while Delta has about 50 that will require to be checked within the next few months. In addendum to that, Alaska Airlines inspected seven planes with more than 30,000-flight mark and other 19 with lesser number of flights, and no cracks were discovered in any of the Boeing jets.
(With input from agencies)
Updated 20:19 IST, October 20th 2019