The carrier expects additional compensation for the disruption set off by the Jan. 5 737-9 door plug blowout, “the complete terms of which are confidential.”
As many challenges begin the year, carriers anticipate high labor and maintenance costs, delivery delays and air traffic control shortages in the rest of 2024.
An event-saturated January followed a year not short on its own challenges, and during recent earnings calls airlines projected which issues might spill over.
Following receipt of an approved inspection and maintenance process from the FAA, Alaska expects to bring its first few 737-9s back into service on Jan. 26.
When it comes to safety and the finger pointing falls on the wrong player, the reputational damage to the affected airline can be long-standing and costly.
The review led by retired U.S. Navy Admiral Kirk Donald will examine Boeing’s commercial airplane quality management as well as its supplier quality oversight.
