US Regulatory Mandates Inspection of Boeing Airplanes Due to Oxygen Mask Safety Concerns

Photo : AFP

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated the inspection of over 2,600 Boeing 737 airplanes due to concerns that passenger oxygen masks might fail in emergencies. Operators are required to inspect the oxygen generators and "perform corrective actions, if necessary, within 120 to 150 days," the FAA stated.

In a related development, Boeing confirmed on Monday that it had reached a deal with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) over two fatal 737 MAX crashes. Court documents reveal that Boeing is set to plead guilty to fraud. The agreement follows prosecutors' conclusion that Boeing violated an earlier settlement addressing the disasters, which resulted in the deaths of 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia over five years ago.

"We have reached an agreement in principle on terms of a resolution with the Justice Department," Boeing said in a statement. 

Families of the crash victims immediately objected to the deal, arguing that it "unfairly makes concessions to Boeing that other criminal defendants would never receive." Catherine Berthet, who lost her daughter Camille in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash involving a 737 MAX 8, described the deal as a reflection of "weakness and manifest contempt for the victims' families and public interest."

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Court papers filed in Texas on Sunday indicate that Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to "conspiracy to defraud the United States" during the certification of MAX airplanes. The plea deal allows Boeing to avoid a criminal trial, provided it adheres to a series of terms, including a new $243.6 million fine and a minimum investment of $455 million in "compliance and safety programs." These changes will be overseen by an independent monitor appointed by the government for a three-year term. Additionally, Boeing's board of directors will be required to meet with the families of the crash victims.

This high-profile agreement follows the DOJ's finding in May that Boeing failed to improve its compliance and ethics program, violating a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) established in the wake of the MAX crashes. The original DPA, announced in January 2021, required Boeing to pay $2.5 billion in fines and restitution in exchange for immunity from criminal prosecution, with a three-year probationary period set to expire this year.

However, Boeing faced renewed scrutiny in January when a 737 MAX operated by Alaska Airlines was forced to make an emergency landing after a fuselage panel blew out mid-flight. This incident prompted new investigations into Boeing's manufacturing and safety practices by US regulators and Congress.

In a May 14 letter to the court overseeing the MAX case, DOJ officials stated that Boeing flouted its DPA obligations by "failing to design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the US fraud laws throughout its operations." This opened the possibility of prosecution, with Boeing initially denying any violations of the 2021 agreement. DOJ representatives briefed families in late June on the proposed plea deal, and Boeing was given until July 5 to accept the offer or face a potentially damaging trial.

Amid these developments, the FAA announced the need for inspections of over 2,600 Boeing 737 jets due to concerns about passenger oxygen masks potentially failing in emergencies. This directive comes as Boeing continues to navigate the fallout from its past safety issues and strives to restore confidence in its practices.