25 January 2024
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The head of Boeing is trying to convince lawmakers on Capitol Hill the company’s planes are safe to fly.
Although the FAA already stepped in, grounding all Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners and requiring safety reviews, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle want to dig deeper.
Democrat and Republican senators say they too want to investigate safety practices at Boeing after a door panel blew off a Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner midflight earlier this month.
This week, Boeing’s CEO is on Capitol Hill to meet with senators.
“We’re going to make sure that we convey our message on all the work we’re doing and our faith in our people and our airplanes,” said Dave Calhoun the CEO of Boeing.
Following their hour-long talk Thursday, Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz says Boeing’s CEO will have to answer more questions from the commerce committee in a public hearing.
“Is there a broader problem that makes it likely there will be safety issues on other planes? I don’t think we know enough now to answer that”, said Cruz.
Once thorough inspections are complete the FAA is expected to allow Boeing to resume 737 Max 9 flights.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating this month’s accident to figure out exactly what caused the door to fall off.
Investigators are also examining practices on Boeing assembly lines.