Alaska Airlines has formally returned the Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft involved in the mid-air blowout incident to Boeing. The aircraft, registered as N704AL, was involved in a mid-air incident on January 5, 2024, when a panel that plugged a space left for an extra emergency door blew off the plane. The ordeal was loud and terrifying for the passengers on board, but fortunately, there were no serious injuries reported. The incident prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground all Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in the United States, and other countries followed suit.
.gif)
The grounding was lifted on January 26, 2024, after the FAA approved the final inspection procedures to be implemented. Alaska Airlines returned its 737 MAX 9 fleet to service on the same day, with the first flight departing from Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) for San Diego (SAN). The return of the aircraft to Boeing comes after Alaska Airlines completed its own investigation into the incident. The airline found that many of the planes they inspected had loose bolts that were supposed to help secure the door plug to a jet's airframe. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also sanctioned Boeing for providing non-public investigative information to the media about the incident.
The return of the aircraft to Boeing marks the end of a challenging period for the airline and the aircraft manufacturer. Both companies have been working closely with the FAA to ensure the safety of the 737 MAX 9 aircraft, and the return of the aircraft to Boeing is a step towards regaining the trust of the traveling public. The incident has also prompted Boeing to showcase enhancements to its quality systems and reveal a new tidbit of information about the Alaska blowout.
The company has been working to improve its quality control processes and ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future. The return of the aircraft to Boeing is a significant milestone in the recovery process for both Alaska Airlines and Boeing. The companies will continue to work together to ensure the safety and reliability of the 737 MAX 9 aircraft, and to regain the trust of the traveling public.