United States: The US lawmakers will hear from Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, who acknowledged that the company’s safety culture is a source of concern following a mid-air incident in January.
Prior to the US Senate subcommittee hearing, he made prepared remarks in which he stated that, “Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress. We understand the gravity.”
Since an unusable door fell from a brand-new 737 Max aircraft during an Alaska Airlines flight and left a huge hole in its side, the airline has gained attention.
In April, Boeing whistleblowers informed the Senate that there were major production problems with the 737 Max, 787 Dreamliner, and 777 models as part of an ongoing inquiry.
However, there have long been worries about Boeing’s views regarding the circumstances of quality control and safety in its factories.
Five years ago, the business was heavily criticized following the loss of two 737 Max aircraft in nearly identical incidents that claimed 346 lives.
In addition, Calhoun is anticipated to offer an apology to the impacted families on Tuesday, the first time he has testified before the panel as CEO.
“We are deeply sorry for your losses. Nothing is more important than the safety of the people who step on board our airplanes,” his prepared opening comment says.
In 2020, as the firm was still in shock after the deadly crashes, he took over as CEO of Boeing. The Boeing 737 Max was temporarily grounded in October 2018 as a result of the Lion Air tragedy.
Thirteen minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia, the aircraft crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 189 passengers on board.
Six minutes after takeoff from the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, a Boeing 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed in March 2019.
Faulty flight control systems were the cause of both catastrophes, which claimed the lives of all 157 people on board.
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