Boeing will increase its inspection protocols in response to multiple plane incidents that have made headlines in the new year.

The Boeing Company grounded at least 65 jets after a door blew off on a flight en route to Ontario, California, on January 5.

There will now be additional daily inspections, more inspections at the point of production of new planes and independent inspections allowing an outside party to make suggestions.

“As we prepare new 737-9s for delivery, we will conduct the same thorough inspections of the mid-exit door plugs as mandated by the FAA,”Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Stan Deal said. “Customer representatives will continue to have access to anything they want to see onboard their airplane before delivery.”


Boeing said it would continue inspecting its 737 Max 9 model jets, as instructed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and is investigating the incident that occurred on an Alaska Airlines flight while 16,000 feet in the air.

“We agree with and fully support the FAA’s decision to require immediate inspections of 737-9 MAX airplanes with the same configuration as the affected airplane,” Deal previously said. “Our teams have been working diligently — with thorough FAA review — to provide comprehensive, technical instructions to operators for the required inspections. This morning, our team issued the instructions via a multi-operator message. We are working closely with 737-9 MAX customers and providing the technical assistance they may need while staying in contact with the FAA as we move forward.”

The planes were grounded through the weekend and on Tuesday, the FAA announced a delay in inspections, saying it would not rush the process and focus on the planes’ safety.

The Alaska Airlines incident, documented by passengers through video and photos, continues to be investigated after an emergency door flew off as it took off from Portland, Oregon, and made its way to Southern California. There were reportedly no passengers sitting next to the door at the time and no injuries. When the door blew away, the plane’s emergency oxygen masks were deployed for the passengers to wear.

Since the incident, there have been reports of the door being found in the backyard of an Oregon resident, as well as a cell phone that is presumed to belong to a passenger.

“This stuff matters,” Calhoun said while speaking to employees about the incident through a webcast. “Everything matters. Every detail matters. This isn’t a lecture… it’s nothing more than a reminder of the seriousness with which we have to approach our work. We’re going to approach this acknowledging our mistake… every step of the way. It’s going to be a lot about transparency.”