Emirates President Tim Clark has referred to the latest incident with the Boeing 737 Max as yet another example of the United States-based aircraft manufacturer’s poor quality, which has already angered the aviation sector due to engine issues.
After the most recent incident, Tim Clark told Bloomberg, “They’ve had quality control difficulties for a long time now, and this is just another manifestation of that. I think they’re getting their act together now, but this doesn’t help.”
Emirates is a significant Boeing customer, having ordered 95 aircraft at the Dubai Airshow in November for USD 52 billion, including 35 777-8 and 55 777-9 models.
Tim Clark said that despite the setback, he was still hopeful that the situation could be “salvaged” and “solved”.
Days have passed since an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max had an in-flight separation of its fuselage, necessitating an emergency landing.
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advised owners of specific 737 MAX 9 aircraft to temporarily take the aircraft out of service to resolve a manufacturing defect that might have an impact on the backup power control unit’s ability to function after the event.
The state-run news agency said that the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had confirmed in a statement that none of the nation’s airlines were using any of the Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft that had been the subject of the technical issue.
Flydubai, a carrier that flies three Boeing 737 MAX 9s, added confirmation that its aircraft were unaffected. Additionally, the airline based in Dubai has an order book worth USD 11 billion that it placed during 2023’s airshow for 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
According to a Reuters report, the United States National Transportation Safety Board expressed doubts about the correct attachment of a recovered cabin panel that failed to blow off the Alaska Airlines aircraft, as well as the presence of bolts.
Both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have reported finding loose parts on several grounded MAX-9 aeroplanes.