The FAA Is Recommending Increased Plane Inspections. Here's What That Means for Travelers.

It’s been an interesting start to the year for air travel.

©Craig Mitchelldyer/AP

Only a week into the new year, Alaska Airlines had one of its doors fly off during the beginning of a flight, spurring an emergency landing. The FAA launched an investigation on these airplanes after the incident, causing flight delays and cancelations while they were inspected. But it seems the trouble isn’t over just yet.

According to a new statement, the FAA has now recommended the inspection of all Boeing 737-900ER planes following the Alaska Airlines incident. Inspections of the 737-9 MAX planes found that some door plugs on the planes were not properly secured, and all those planes were temporarily grounded. Since the Boeing 737-9 MAX is based on the Boeing 737-900ER, the FAA is now calling for inspections of all Boeing 737-900ER planes.

©Alaska Airlines

The following statement was issued by the FAA:

“As an added layer of safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is recommending that operators of Boeing 737-900ER aircraft visually inspect mid-exit door plugs to ensure the door is properly secured. The Boeing 737-900ER is not part of the newer MAX fleet but has the same door plug design.”

In response to this news, airlines can ground their planes to do proper inspections, which could lead to more cancelations. Additionally, according to the Associated Press, United Airlines is expected to lose money in the first quarter of 2024 due to the grounding of its Boeing 737-9 MAX planes.

©United Airlines

United says that it “expects to lose between 35 cents and 85 cents per share in the first quarter.” However, they expect to recover a “full-year profit between $9 and $11 per share.”

Orlando International Airport

Federal regulators have “refused to put a timeline on letting the planes fly again, saying it will happen only when they believe the planes are safe,” per the Associated Press. So, what does this mean for travelers? Well, expect flight delays and cancelations as crew members work to properly inspect those planes.

Flying could become more challenging.

Hundreds of flights have already been canceled due to this issue, and we could see plenty more before these planes are safe to fly again. We’ll be sure to keep you updated, so stay tuned to AllEars!