UAL - Boeing 737 Max 9 Crisis Deepens: United Airlines Discovers Loose Bolts | Benzinga
In a recent development, United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL) has uncovered loose bolts in several grounded 737 MAX 9 airplanes, further exacerbating the ongoing crisis faced by Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) with this model.
What Happened: United revealed that it had found loose bolts on multiple panels of the grounded MAX 9 aircraft according to a Reuters report. This discovery sparked renewed apprehensions about the manufacturing processes of Boeing's top-selling jet family.
The problem was brought to light after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines (NYSE:ALK)-operated MAX 9 plane during flight, leading to the grounding of 171 aircraft of this model by U.S. regulators. United, one of the two U.S. carriers operating this model, found several planes had bolts that required tightening.
See Also: Boeing 737 Max 9 Groundings Trigger Stock Turbulence For Carriers As Regulators Order Safety Checks
United has reportedly found nearly 10 aircraft with loose bolts, a number that may increase, leading to heightened concerns about the aircraft’s safety among passengers. Industry insiders view this as a fleet-wide quality control issue. Despite it being too early to ascertain the exact cause, Boeing’s shares have dropped by 8%.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorized airlines ...