This year, there have been numerous incidents involving Boeing Co. The first incident of this year was on Jan. 5, when a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines flight from Portland to Ontario, California.
Boeing has had a tumultuous year so far marked by lawsuits, damaged airplane parts, failing inspections and the announcement of CEO Dave Calhoun’s departure.
Boeing has a history of experiencing serious incidents. In December 2020, Boeing 737 Max’s were cleared to fly again after being grounded for two years due to two deadly accidents in 2018, that resulted in the tragic loss of 346 lives.
People have been becoming more aware of Boeing and educating themselves on the company, as their constant headlines are starting to raise concern, especially for frequent flyers.
On March 9, former quality control manager, John Barnett, was found dead in his car due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This started to raise questions and concerns, as John at the time of his death, was in the middle of his whistleblower retaliation case and was supposed to give his testimony.
“We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends,” Boeing said in a statement.
The CEO Dave Cahloun announced in March that he would be stepping down as CEO by the end of 2024. There is no definitive answer as to why Calhoun is making the decision, especially at a time when Boeing is facing immense scrutiny.
Last year, Calhoun made around $33 million, which includes a 45% raise he received from Boeing. The raise was controversial as this was followed after Boeing failed a third of their FAA inspections.
On Sunday April 7, a Boeing 737-800 engine cover fell off during takeoff. Southwest Airlines flight 3695 departing from Denver had to make an emergency landing after crew members reported the engine cover falling off.
The FAA has begun its investigation into this incident. Frequent and occasional flyers can only hope there will be changes made to the company.
