What is going on with Boeing?

2024 started on a terrible note for Boeing, the Seattle-based aircraft manufacturer and second in the world only behind Airbus. A sequence of in-flight incidents, regulatory missteps, and a whistleblower found dead after testifying against Boeing is eroding its already damaged reputation.

But what exactly is going on with Boeing? How could a historic aviation giant, with over 100 years of history, fall from the sky so spectacularly?

Five incidents in one week

Boeing started getting media attention last January when a door blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight, forcing an emergency landing. Luckily all passengers survived with only minor injuries reported. A preliminary investigation revealed four bolts missing from the door during the assembly process.

But the troubles were only beginning. Several airlines with Boeing fleets reported serious incidents in the following weeks and months. Most notably, a LATAM plane plunged mid-flight with pilots temporarily unable to regain control; a tire fell off United Flight 35 right after takeoff; and an engine caught on fire on a separate United plane.

United Airlines alone reported five incidents in a week, citing maintenance issues. Several Boeing 737 Max were grounded, forcing airlines like Southwest (which only uses 737s) to cancel existing orders.

Safety concerns

The incidents pushed the US Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to order an audit of Boeing’s safety measures.

The New York Times reported that out of 97 points of noncompliance, Boeing failed 33 while passing 56. The FAA also audited Spirit AeroSystem, a subsidiary of Boeing that produces plane fuselages, finding 7 out of 13 failed points.

FAA administrator Mike Whitaker explained the issues range from lack of production records to malpractices on the assembly line. “It sounds kind of pedestrian,” Whitaker said, “but it’s really important in a factory that you have a way of tracking your tools effectively so that you have the right tool and that you know you haven’t left it behind.”

The FAA gave Boeing 90 days to outline an action plan tackling safety issues.

Meanwhile, former Boeing employee John Barnett was found dead amid a lawsuit he had filed against the aircraft manufacturer. Barnett had warned about Boeing’s safety missteps since he left the company in 2017. He was supposed to appear for further questioning but was found dead of what appears a “self-inflicted wound” in his truck.

“John was in the midst of a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which finally was nearing the end,” Barnett’s attorneys said. “He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn’t see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it.”

What happened to Boeing?

So, why is Boeing facing all these issues at once after decades of successful business? In reality, the problems at Boeing started long ago, though chickens are coming home to roost only now.

Until the 2000s, Boeing was regarded as the safest aircraft manufacturer in the world. Its 737 model was one of the most successful in history, and competition was struggling behind.

Then, Boeing merged with another manufacturer called McDonnell Douglas. This massive merger worth $14 billion caused a major reshuffle in Boeing’s executive positions. Safety was not the main concern anymore, the stock price was.

25 years of seeking short-term profits led Boeing to this point. The 737 Max, advertised as Boeing’s most innovative plane to date, was a massive failure, made even worse by recent events.

Airbus overcame Boeing as the world’s largest manufacturer in 2019, and the gap keeps widening as Boeing struggles in the dust.

It’s unclear what will happen to Boeing next. The company is a giant in an industry with only one real competitor: a total collapse appears extremely unlikely. But nothing is impossible, and the lack of valuable strategies shows that a company “too big to fail” may, in fact, fail.