Members of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) questioned Boeing executives about the company’s workplace safety culture and alleged retaliation against two employees involved in a mishap with a Boeing 737 Max 9 in January. The incident involved a door plug detaching mid-flight on an Alaska Airlines flight, causing rapid decompression. The NTSB raised concerns about how the mistake occurred and the response of Boeing to the employees involved.
Boeing stated that everyone in the organization is responsible for safety and that employees are not punished for good faith mistakes. However, concerns were raised about the treatment of the employees involved in the incident, who were sidelined and placed in a different building referred to as “Boeing prison.” Boeing executives acknowledged the error should have been caught before the plane was rolled out.
Boeing is making changes to prevent similar incidents in the future, including plug sensor changes and retrofitting the fleet. The company committed to working with the NTSB on a safety culture survey of Boeing employees without interference. Boeing’s new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, is set to assume his position soon.
Overall, the hearing highlighted concerns about Boeing’s safety culture, employee treatment, and the need for accountability and prevention of similar incidents in the future.
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