Emirates Chief Warns Boeing: Last Chance as 737 Max Quality Issue Surfaces

Boeing is facing yet another setback in its 737 Max production, as the company has uncovered a new quality issue involving improperly drilled holes in the fuselages of about 50 planes. The problem was brought to light when an employee of a major supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, alerted Boeing’s management to the error.

Boeing’s commercial airplanes division assured that the discovered issue does not compromise the safety of the 737 Max jetliners that are already in operation. However, the company acknowledged that those planes still awaiting delivery to airlines will require rework due to the misalignment of two holes in the window frames.

This latest development adds to a series of challenges Boeing has faced in recent times. Emirates, a significant international airline based in Dubai, has expressed concerns over Boeing’s overall performance and safety standards. Sir Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, disclosed plans to dispatch engineers to monitor Boeing’s production lines in the wake of a recent incident involving a cabin panel on a 737 MAX 9 plane.

Clark emphasized the necessity for Boeing to instill a robust safety culture and thoroughly review manufacturing processes to ensure there are no shortcuts. He pointed out that Boeing’s leadership, including CEO Dave Calhoun and Stan Deal, chief of Boeing’s commercial-airplanes division, must address these concerns promptly.

Clark referred to this critical juncture as the “last chance saloon” for Boeing, underscoring the urgency for the company to rectify its issues and regain trust in its manufacturing practices. The specific quality problem involves incorrectly drilled holes in the window frames of some 737 Max jets, as reported by Spirit AeroSystems, a major supplier responsible for providing Boeing with fuselages for the troubled Max aircraft. While Boeing assures that the identified condition does not pose an immediate safety risk, it acknowledges the need for rework on the affected planes.