(NEW YORK) — One year after a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines jet, Boeing said it is “on track with progress showing tangible improvements” in its efforts turn the struggling aerospace giant around and produce safe airplanes.
Boeing shared an update on Friday morning about the company’s safety and quality plan, which it had developed shortly after the Alaska Airlines incident in January 2024.
The plan was a key part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s increased oversight, featuring dedicated efforts to address the company’s systemic safety and quality-control issues.
The FAA said that this was “not a one-year project” in its assessment of the progress that Boeing has made to date.
In its update, Boeing highlighted several key improvements it has made including: reducing defects in 737 fuselage assembly at Spirit AeroSystems by increasing inspection points and introducing a customer quality approval process; addressing more than 70% of action items in commercial airplane production based on employee feedback during quality stand-down sessions; and applying “move ready” criteria across final assembly for the 737 and 787, as well as parts of the 767 and the 777, to manage traveled work and mitigate risks.
The plane maker also reported adding hundreds of hours of new curriculum to quality and safety training programs for its employees. It has introduced new random quality audits of documented removals in high frequency areas to ensure process compliance. Additionally, the company said it has mapped and prepared thousands of governance documents and work instructions for revision.
The company added that it has invested in its Speak Up program to strengthen confidentiality and keep employees informed about the status and resolution of their reports. This comes after numerous Boeing whistleblowers have raised concerns in recent years about the company’s safety and workplace culture practices.
On Jan. 5, 2024, a defective door plug on an Alaska Airlines plane opened up mid-flight, depressurizing the cabin and exposing passengers to open air thousands of feet above the ground.
No one was seriously injured and the plane safely made an emergency landing.
Reflecting on Boeing’s progress one year later, FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said in a blog post that the company is “working to make progress executing its comprehensive plan in the areas of safety, quality improvement, and effective employee engagement and training.”
“We’re actively monitoring the results and keeping a close eye on work at key Boeing facilities,” Whitaker said.
He outlined the company’s progress, saying: “FAA safety experts continually review the effectiveness of the changes; senior FAA leaders meet with Boeing weekly to review their performance metrics, progress, and any challenges they’re facing; we have conducted an unprecedented number of unannounced audits; and we conduct monthly status reviews with Boeing executives to monitor progress.”
“Our enhanced oversight is here to stay,” Whitaker added.
“But this is not a one-year project,” Whitaker continued, emphasizing that Boeing must prioritize safety over profits. He said the effort will “require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on our part.”
He also reiterated the agency’s support toward the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation of last year’s Alaska Airlines incident.
ABC News’ Sam Sweeney contributed to this report.
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