Boeing faces renewed scrutiny over its 737 Max jets after a key supplier found production flaws, delaying deliveries of around 50 planes. The discovery deals another blow as the aircraft manufacturer struggles to regain trust following recent safety incidents.
The defects involved incorrectly drilled holes in some fuselage sections, spotted by a sharp-eyed team member at Spirit AeroSystems. As the exclusive 737 Max fuselage provider, Spirit plays an integral manufacturing role. Boeing called the issue minor but said affected planes require reworking, slowing output.
Yet coming soon after an exterior panel detached mid-flight from an Alaska Airlines 737, scrutiny on Boeing intensifies. “The last chance saloon,” declared Emirates chief Tim Clark, a vocal critic. He insists declining standards at Boeing demand urgent intervention, safety before profits.
In an unprecedented move, Emirates now sends engineers to monitor Boeing’s production lines up close, though a major customer. Clark felt recent events merited getting proactively involved given lives are at stake.
While no immediate risk, the drilled hole gaffe validates critics claiming cultural and oversight gaps compromising quality. A candid internal memo from Boeing’s Stan Deal pledged reinforced diligence so such flaws don’t reach finished aircraft.
But the financial impact already shows – shares dropped nearly 2 percent on the news amid slowing delivery projections. As defects mount, Boeing risks allies losing faith despite Deal vowing safety as priority number one.
Regulators agree. The FAA halted further 737 output until satisfied problems are structurally addressed. Recent years exposed alarming lapses in design and quality processes that require fundamental reinvention, not just patchwork fixes.
