Boeing's crisis doesn't seem to get over anytime soon. US safety regulators are now planning to fine the airplane maker almost $4 million, saying that it failed to protect installation of faulty parts on hundreds of its 737 Next Generation airplanes despite knowing that they were defective.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced the civil penalty late Friday saying that it was considering imposing a fine of $3.9 million on Boeing. The Federal Aviation Administration's announcement comes just a couple of days after Boeing said that it may have to halt production of its 737 Max jets owing to delay in getting back the aircraft to service.
Boeing's troubles seem to be only increasing with controversies miring the company. This has seen the airplane maker's shares take a major hit over the past few quarters.
FAA gives no room to Boeing
The Federal Aviation Administration has alleged Boeing of failing to adequately oversee its suppliers and by doing so failed to prevent the installation of faulty parts on at least 130 737 Next Generation aircrafts. The investigation covers parts on Boeing 737 NGs, which are also known as slat tracks and is fitted on the front edge of the aircraft's wings and helps in guiding the panel movements.
The Federal Aviation Administration said that the parts fitted on the aircraft wings became brittle owing to a process in which they receive titanium and cadmium. The supplier reported about the faulty slat tracks to Boeing but the company despite being in the know submitted the aircrafts for Federal Aviation Administration's approval, thus raising potential risk to the lives of passengers who would travel in those planes.
Boeing spokesman Charles Bickers in a statement said, "We are working closely with our customers to take the appropriate corrective actions." The company will now have 30 days to respond either by challenging the FAA's decision or by paying the fine.
No way out for Boeing
Boeing's crisis continues to mount almost every day. Earlier in June, The Federal Aviation Administration had said that 300 737 NGs and 737 Max could be fitted with faulty parts and it would require these parts to be replaced at the earliest.
Although the fine announced on Friday only concerns 737 NGs, the FAA continues to review 737 Max, which remain grounded since March following two fatal accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia the killed 346 passengers.
Boeing has been suffering since then. The company in early November said that it was expected 737 Max to return to service as early in December but that too doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon after the FAA administrator Steve Dickson said that he has asked his team to take the required time to scrutinize the plane.
