Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company, announced that it will halt production and delivery operations at its Renton factory for 24 hours on January 25, 2024. The factory, located near Seattle, Washington, is where the company assembles its 737 family of aircraft, including the troubled 737 MAX 9 model.
The pause is part of Boeing's quality improvement measures, which were announced earlier this month after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded a portion of the 737 MAX 9 fleet following a mid-air cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines jet. Boeing said that the incident was caused by a manufacturing defect and that it was inspecting all affected planes.
During the 24-hour pause, employees at the Renton factory will attend sessions focused on quality processes, where they will evaluate their work and make recommendations for improvement. Boeing Commercial Airplanes President Stan Deal said that the sessions, called "Quality Stand Downs", will help the company "strengthen our quality management system and reinforce our commitment to safety and compliance".
The Quality Stand Downs will also take place at other Boeing commercial production facilities and fabrication sites over the next few weeks, according to the company. Boeing said that it is working closely with the FAA and other regulators to resolve the issues with the 737 MAX 9 and to restore confidence in its products and services.