Boeing Co (NYSE:BA, ETR:BCO) has announced the implementation of more than a dozen new quality control checks across its airline manufacturing process following several incidents involving its airplanes.
The company has come under scrutiny over the last year following multiple incidents, including a mid-flight panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight in January 2024.
Boeing said on Friday it is "on track with progress showing tangible improvements" in addressing systemic safety and quality-control issues that have impacted its operations.
Its “Safety & Quality Plan” includes enhanced training for quality control inspectors and mechanics and a new random quality audit for when aircraft parts are removed and returned.
The company also emphasized its commitment to reducing defects in the 737 fuselage assembly at Spirit AeroSystems. This will be achieved by increasing inspection points and introducing a customer quality approval process.
Boeing’s new quality control measures come after an audit of the airplane manufacturer from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) last year, which gave the company 90 days to overhaul its quality control processes.
"We're actively monitoring the results and keeping a close eye on work at key Boeing facilities," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker wrote in a blog post published on Thursday.
However, he noted that this is “not a one-year project” for Boeing.
“What’s needed is a fundamental cultural shift at Boeing that’s oriented around safety and quality above profits. That will require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on our part,” Whitaker said.