Alaska Airlines grounds Boeing 737 max 9 fleet following midair window blowout

Alaska Airlines has decided to ground its fleet of Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft after a midair incident where a window and a portion of the fuselage blew out, leading to an emergency landing at Portland International Airport in Oregon. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff on Friday, causing the cabin to depressurize, with the aircraft climbing to 16,000 feet before returning to the airport.

Flight 1282, en route to Ontario, California, safely landed with 174 passengers and six crew members. CEO Ben Minicucci stated that all 65 Boeing 737-9 aircraft in the fleet would undergo thorough maintenance and safety inspections, with expectations to resume service within days.

While the airline has not disclosed the specific cause of the incident, both the United States National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have committed to investigating the event. The affected Boeing 737 Max 9, delivered to Alaska Airlines in late October and certified in early November, has prompted Boeing to express awareness of the emergency landing and a commitment to support the investigation.

The Boeing 737 Max series has faced scrutiny in the past, with a global grounding lasting nearly two years after fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Following these incidents, Boeing implemented significant changes, including overhauling an automated flight-control system. The Max series returned to service after the necessary safety measures were taken. Currently, Boeing is awaiting certification for its smaller 737 Max-7 and larger Max-10 jets, while the FAA continues to monitor the Max series closely, utilizing satellite data to ensure safety.