Summary
- Passengers of Alaska Airlines flight 1282 could also be victims of against the law, as reportedly indicated by the FBI.
- Boeing’s repute is at stake following the incident, with authorities closely monitoring its production methods.
- Airline CEOs may also reportedly meet with Boeing’s board of directors.
One other layer has been added to the evolving saga of the Alaska Airlines midair blowout incident in January, with the FBI telling the flight’s passengers that they may very well be victims of against the law. Boeing is facing increased scrutiny following the incident, with all relevant authorities investigating the January incident and Boeing’s aircraft production issues.
Possible crime victims
While Boeing and Alaska Airlines have been within the headlines over the January incident of flight 1282, the main focus is now also shifting towards the passengers of the flight, in a development that doesn’t bode well for Boeing.
Photo: Michael Gordon | Shutterstock
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an investigation into the January incident and has communicated with the passengers of the flight, telling them that they could be victims of against the law. The Seattle Times quotes from a letter sent by a victim support specialist on the FBI’s Seattle office to one among the passengers,
“As a Victim Specialist with the Seattle Division, I’m contacting you because we’ve got identified you as a possible victim of against the law. This case is currently under investigation by the FBI. A criminal investigation is usually a lengthy undertaking, and for several reasons, we cannot let you know about its progress presently.”
Several witnesses, including the pilot and other crew members, are believed to have been interviewed by the Justice Department, and an attorney representing a few of the passengers on the flight thinks that the agency could interview the travelers onboard the flight.
Photo: The Global Guy | Shutterstock
All eyes on Boeing
Boeing’s repute has taken a severe hit in the previous couple of months. With reports of other airlines also finding loose bolts on their 737 MAX aircraft, the plane maker’s production methods and SOPs are actually under remark from relevant authorities.
Boeing’s legal troubles could increase even further after it was reported that the US Justice Department was examining whether it didn’t comply with an earlier agreement signed after the 2 737 MAX crashes of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines.
Photo: Marco Menezes | Shutterstock
Boeing had signed the $2.5 billion settlement after the 2 fatal 737 MAX crashes, and its terms and conditions had it adopt a compliance program that will prevent it from deceiving regulators. The Alaska Airlines incident occurred on January fifth, just two days before the expiration date of the deferred-prosecution agreement.
Whether it is found that Boeing violated that agreement in the way in which it handled the Alaska incident, there may very well be criminal charges against the organization.
Airlines unhappy
The discussion across the production flaws and all of the recent directives issued regarding the plane also has airlines apprehensive. Several carriers are betting their future on timely deliveries of the 737 MAX aircraft, which they expect to be manufactured with none structural flaws.
Photo: MKPhoto12 | Shutterstock
Within the immediate aftermath of the Alaska Airlines blowout incident, several carriers needed to ground their MAX 9 planes for inspections, costing them money attributable to flight cancelations and delays. It has also been reported that airline CEOs will now meet with Boeing’s board of directors, without the presence of its CEO, David Calhoun. It stays to be seen what the final result of the meeting can be.
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