Boeing paid $3.1 million fine to FAA over safety violations

Boeing paid a $3.1 million fine to the Federal Aviation Administration in January for a series of safety violations, including actions tied to the January 5, 2024, Alaska Airlines MAX 9 mid-air emergency. The FAA stated that the planemaker also interfered with safety officials' independence.

The FAA identified hundreds of quality system violations at Boeing's 737 factory in Renton, Washington, and at its subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems' 737 factory in Wichita, Kansas. Additionally, Boeing presented two unairworthy aircraft to the FAA for airworthiness certificates and failed to adhere to its own quality system.

Further findings indicated that a non-ODA Boeing employee pressured a Boeing ODA unit member to approve a Boeing 737-MAX airplane to meet delivery schedules, despite the ODA member determining the aircraft did not meet applicable standards. The FAA utilized its maximum statutory civil penalty authority in issuing the fines.