[aviation news]
For as long as I and I am sure you, reading, can remember, Boeing was the complete pinnacle of aircraft making.
They gave us some of the most iconic planes with incredible safety records.
To this day, these planes are the backbone for many airlines around the globe.
We have all been on a Boeing aircraft at some time in our life. None is more iconic than the 747, the “Queen of the Skies.”
What a beautifully built and designed aircraft it was.
It seems now however, that the golden age of Boeing has truly gone and the question that lands is this: Is the road to recovery harder than ever?
A Tragedy That Shook the Industry: The 737 MAX
For many, the downfall, or rather the falling of the veneer that surrounded Boeing, occurred with the 737 MAX.
This aircraft was supposed to fill the market demand for the aging 757 and 767 aircraft.
However, it suffered two fatal accidents, killing 346 people.
Lion Air Flight 610 in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March 2019 both crashed.
These incidents followed the malfunctioning of the newest system installed on the planes by Boeing, MCAS (Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System).
The system was designed to stop the aircraft from going beyond the normal envelope.
Subsequently, it reduced the angle of attack the plane could maintain during take-off and landing.
The 737 MAX, having fitted larger engines, had become slightly front-heavy. This caused the nose to be more prone to dropping.
Following the accidents, the 737 MAX was grounded worldwide for nearly two years.
Boeing ended up paying over $2.5 billion in fines and settlements. However, the real damage was reputational.
Trust in Boeing’s commitment to safety had cracked wide open.
This crack would only continue to grow larger. Years of corner cutting, corporate greed, and at times, criminal activity had hidden flaws, issues, and corruption.
Deeper Problems
While the 737 MAX accidents were a turning point for the scrutiny that surrounded Boeing, what the investigations unfolded was far worse.
Systematic failings had been the ultimate reality.
The world would wake up to read reports of Boeing forcing through certification for it’s aircraft, FAA oversight, and more.
At times it was like reading a horror novel. It was almost unfathomable for people to accept or even hear about what had been going on.
Boeing, a company who made their name in being a high quality, safety-driven manufacturer, set the standards for the rest of the world.
So what went wrong?
Well for many analysts, it is believed to have begun to unravel in 1997, when the company merged with McDonnell Douglas.
This was the turning point for the company. Financial engineering began to overshadow flight engineering.
Critics say the pressure to deliver to Wall Street and not to passengers has led to chronic corner-cutting.
It also resulted in muted dissent and a breakdown of safety-first values.
A sad reality which recent years would be hard to argue against.
The Dreamliner Problems
We have talked about how the MAX aircraft was the item that brought the spotlight out onto Boeing, but the issues simply did not end there.
A whistle-blower named Sam Salehpour came forward in 2024. He blew the whistle on what he called “alarming structural issues”.
These were issues Boeing allegedly chose to overlook in order to keep production moving.
There had never been up to recently this month, any fatal accidents involving a 787 Dreamliner.
But with Air India Flight AI171 crashing shortly after taking off, the focus on the whistle-blower’s words now rings harder into the ears of those who have lost loved ones more than ever.
His revelations prompted renewed investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and intense scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers.
While Boeing defended the aircraft’s airworthiness, the concerns echoed a deeper cultural issue.
This was a willingness to prioritize speed and cost over engineering rigor.
It is worth noting that at this moment, there is absolutely nothing to suggest Boeing is at fault for the crash of the Air India jet.
However, the fact it was a Boeing plane, noted to have possible issues, is what allows some of the arguments to hold water.
The Alaska Airlines Blowout: A Wake-Up Call
Staying in recent times, the incident involving yet again Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft, this time the MAX 9, suffered a terrifying mid-air blowout.
A door plug used to cover an unused emergency exit detached shortly after take off, leaving passengers terrified as the plane reached 16,000 feet.
The incident happened in January 2024, on an Alaska Airlines flight.
With the NTSB releasing their findings this week, it has shown once again, just as with the MCAS system, Boeing was at fault.
Read More: NTSB Identifies Boeing and FAA Failures in 737 MAX 9 Door Plug Incident
What was the issue this time? According to reports, only a handful of engineers working on the door plugs actually knew how to install them.
This was a fatal oversight by the company which this time, luckily didn’t result in any deaths.
It was a stunning conclusion, not just for its technical implications, but for what it said about Boeing’s ongoing internal failures.
Once again, the image of profit over safety has been brought to the fore-front and Boeing are left without answers.
Boeings New Flagship Aircraft Struggles
With many pushing to look beyond what is sometimes described as just “MAX related issues”.
Boeing has been trying to bring lots of focus and attention to their new flagship, the Boeing 777X.
This aircraft will be an industry game-changer, there is no doubt about it.
There is however, one major problem Boeing now needs to get past if this plane is going to truly become a success.
And that is their image and reputation of airlines and customers.
A 2022 census showed that 48% of passengers would be willing to book longer flights or even connections to avoid being on a Boeing aircraft.
This shocking revelation from the general public is what has made the job of selling the 777X so much harder.
Why would airlines want to invest billions into new planes, if their customers would refuse to get on? Short answer is, they won’t.
We have already seen small signs of this.
Some airlines such as Emirates, unhappy with the delays around the 777X which is an issue for a whole new article.
They are cancelling some of their orders and switching to Airbus’ ultra-successful A350.
If Boeing cannot deliver the 777X on time, a task seemingly looking harder as each month passes, then it really does look like the Boeing we once all knew, is gone forever.
What Recovery Really Looks Like
Boeing cannot market its way out of this crisis.
Rebuilding public trust will take more than flashy PR campaigns or executive reshuffling. With Brian West this year confirming that they will need to make major cuts to deal with the costs of the MAX aircraft and other items.
Boeing’s long-term visual standing is at risk, no Airshow, no major events, Boeing is closed doors, for now.
Here’s what genuine recovery must include:
- A safety-first culture that empowers engineers, not just executives.
- Robust whistleblower protectionsensuring internal issues are raised and addressed—not silenced.
- Transparent collaboration with regulatorsrebuilding trust with the FAA and global aviation authorities.
- Comprehensive quality control across all manufacturing sites and supplier networks.
- Public accountabilitywith visible efforts to fix past wrongs and prevent future ones.
Until Boeing demonstrates systemic change, regulators, airlines, and passengers will continue to ask the same question: Can we trust them again?
Conclusion
The road ahead for Boeing is no ordinary climb, it’s a mountain.
The tragedies, the whistleblower allegations, the manufacturing lapses, and the NTSB’s findings have formed a pattern that’s impossible to ignore.
In aviation, credibility is everything.
Once lost, it takes more than engineering prowess to get it back.
It takes humility, transparency, and a commitment to transformation and that cannot simply be a new CEO. The people who have cut corners and who have made decisions that have led us to where we stand today, still remain at the company.
It is time for an internal transplant and fresh new eyes and voices.
The world is watching to see whether Boeing rises, or stalls, as it looks to find its way back to not just its roots, but the very foundations in which they stand on today!
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