Boeing to Redesign Jets to Avoid Cabin Blowouts

DALLAS — Boeing has announced plans to implement design changes to prevent future mid-air cabin panel blowouts following the incident on an Alaska Airlines (AS) 737-9 flight in January.

This information came to light during the first two days of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearings, which lasted nearly 10 hours and delved into the mid-air emergency that has severely damaged Boeing's reputation.

The ongoing hearings examine several key areas, including 737 manufacturing and inspection processes, safety and quality management systems, FAA oversight, and specific issues surrounding installing and removing the door plug.

Elizabeth Lund, Boeing's senior vice president for quality, revealed during the hearing that the company is developing design modifications. Boeing hopes to implement the modifications within the year and subsequently retrofit the entire fleet.

Lund explained, "The design changes will ensure that the door plug cannot be closed if there are any issues until it is securely fastened." This follows investigators findings that the mid exit door (MED) plug from aircraft N704AL MSN 67501 was missing four crucial bolts.

The NTSB and Boeing have yet to determine who was responsible for removing and reinstalling the door plug during the production process of the affected aircraft, as the paper trail of the N704AL maintenance records and video recording of its production line are missing.

Last month, Boeing received an order for 35 737 MAX aircraft, including the largest model of the single-aisle series, from Tokyo Century Corp.'s US aircraft leasing division, Aviation Capital Group (ACG).

The leasing company said in a statement that it would purchase 16 Boeing 737-8 aircraft and 19 of the still uncertified 737-10 in anticipation of increased air travel demand.

Then, at this year's Farnborough Airshow, European regional carrier Luxair (LG) ordered two Boeing 737-10 with options for two more a year after purchasing the 737-7 and 737-8 models. The 737-10 is the largest model in the single-aisle 737 MAX family.