Airline execs want to meet with Boeing’s board over production issues: report

The heads of major U.S. airlines – and some of Boeing’s biggest customers – are reportedly planning to meet with the beleaguered plane manufacturer’s board of directors to address its production problems. 

Boeing said board Chairman Larry Kellner and other board members agreed to meet as soon as next week, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. In the coming weeks, the board is also expected to meet with the heads of international airlines, the outlet reported.   

The CEOs of U.S. airlines that rely on Boeing for commercial travel want to discuss the Alaska Airlines incident involving a door plug that blew out mid-flight earlier this year. They also want to talk about the production problems that have occurred since then due to new aircraft certification and manufacturing delays at Boeing, according to the Journal.  

The CEOs specifically want the directors to discuss the fallout from the Jan. 5 incident and their plan for addressing the quality problems at the company. 

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The upcoming meeting comes just after FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said in an interview with “NBC Nightly News” that his recent trip to Boeing manufacturing facilities left him with the belief that “there are issues around the safety culture at Boeing.” 

He said Boeing’s “priorities have been on production and not on safety and quality, and so what we really are focused on now is shifting that focus from production to safety and quality.”

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United and American Airlines declined to comment. FOX Business has reached out to Alaska and Southwest for comment. All four airlines operate the Max jet.

Boeing declined to comment.

Boeing’s issues have already impacted operations at some airlines.

United warned earlier this month that it had temporarily paused pilot hiring in the coming months and that it plans to slow the pace of hiring in 2024 due to Boeing’s manufacturing delays. 

Southwest Airlines also warned last week that it was cutting capacity, re-optimizing flight schedules and pausing hiring in 2024 as a result of Boeing’s “continued challenges.”

FOX Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.