Boeing’s Max fleet to China delayed post Alaska Airlines incident

(NewsNation) — Boeing is facing a cascade of issues after recent failures. Within the aviation industry, aviation experts suggest the full impact of the recent mid-air incident involving the 737 MAX 9 hasn’t fully been explored.

Boeing had anticipated resuming deliveries of the 737 Max jets to China this month. The Chinese market is projected to account for a fifth of the world’s airplane deliveries in the next two decades, according to Boeing.

China Southern Airlines had been readying to receive Ma planes in January, but it plans to conduct additional safety inspections on the aircraft, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

These deliveries are now on hold after the incident involving the 737 Max 9 door plug blowing off at 16 thousand feet. On Sunday, a plane taxiing for departure clipped another aircraft at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Coupled with two fatal 737 Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019, leading to major delivery delays, Boeing’s relationship with China has been turbulent.

China’s aviation regulator also instructed the country’s airlines to conduct precautionary safety inspections on their Boeing 737 Mac jets, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Chinese airlines do not have the Max 9 model in their fleet. The Max 8 jets they operate lack the panel involved in the Alaska Airlines incident.

“These are airplanes with precious cargo on board, people. you can’t skimp or forget about quality control of what you make and send out to these airlines,” said Captain Ross Aimer, CEO of Aero Consulting Experts.

Spirt AeroSystems assembled the Alaska Airlines planes, but the blame is often directed at Boeing for its alleged failure to oversee the supplier’s work or detect defects.

The inspection process for the Max 9 plane is under intense scrutiny.

Boeing and Alaska Airlines claim they’re improving this process so they can return those planes to service.

Meanwhile, the FAA is investigating and lawmakers are increasing pressure on the FAA to enforce safety regulations and impose penalties.

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