Alaska Airlines Under Scrutiny for Continuing Flights Despite Warning Signals

Alaska Airlines is currently at the center of a safety controversy following its decision to continue operating a Boeing 737 Max 9 over land, despite repeated warnings from the aircraft’s cabin-pressurization system. The situation escalated when a fuselage blowout occurred on a flight from Oregon to Southern California. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), highlighted that the warning lights had been activated on three separate flights, including two consecutive days before the incident.

The aircraft, which suffered a fuselage blowout at 16,000 feet over Oregon, was cleared by maintenance crews but was restricted by the airline from flying the longer Hawaii route over water for quicker airport access in case of recurring issues. The flight in question managed to return to Portland without any serious injuries among the 171 passengers and six crew members.

Critics, including aviation experts and former FAA investigators, argue that Alaska Airlines should have grounded the plane altogether rather than limiting its operation to over-land flights. The FAA’s response included grounding all Max 9s operated by Alaska and United for inspections, focusing on door plugs for emergency exits. United Airlines reported finding "installation issues" on these door plugs post the incident.

The decision to continue flying the plane, albeit with limitations, has been met with both criticism and relief, with some experts suggesting that avoiding over-water routes possibly averted a larger disaster. The NTSB and FAA are currently investigating the incident, while Boeing has pledged cooperation in addressing any findings from the inspections.