FAA Orders grounding of 170+ Boeing planes after blowout incident

 The FAA has instructed airlines to temporarily halt operations of specific Boeing 737 Max 9 planes for safety evaluations following an incident where an Alaska Airlines flight encountered an issue with a cabin panel mid-flight, carrying around 180 passengers. Despite the plane being relatively new, having started service in November, it managed to safely return to Portland International Airport in Oregon, its departure point, after experiencing what flight attendants described as a sudden and forceful decompression in the cabin. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, although one attendant sustained minor injuries.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker emphasized prioritizing safety by mandating immediate inspections for certain Boeing 737 Max 9 planes before they resume flights. Alaska Airlines responded promptly, deciding to ground its 65 Boeing 737-9 aircraft for a few days to conduct thorough safety checks before returning them to service. This grounding extends to approximately 171 planes worldwide either operated by US airlines or within US territories.

Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci assured their full cooperation with the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into the incident on Flight 1282, which was en route to Ontario, California, when the issue occurred at around 16,000 feet. Passengers shared visuals on social media showing the cabin's exposed gap due to the incident.