The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered airlines to ground some Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft following an in-flight "incident."

 FAA grounds Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft after flight 'incident'

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered airlines to ground some Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft following an in-flight "incident".

The incident occurred on January 5, 2024, when an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to Portland, Oregon, was forced to make an emergency landing due to a broken window mid-flight. The flight was carrying 135 passengers and six crew members.

The window cracked due to a manufacturing defect, according to the FAA. The agency is investigating the incident and has ordered airlines to inspect all Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft for similar defects.

The grounding affects 65 Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft. The airline said it expected the plane to be grounded for several days until inspections were completed.

The grounding of the 737 Max 9 is a setback for Boeing, which is still trying to rebuild its reputation after two fatal crashes of 737 Max 8 aircraft in 2018 and 2019. The accidents resulted in a 20-month grounding of the entire 737 Max fleet worldwide.

Boeing said it is working with the FAA to resolve the issue and is confident the 737 Max 9 can fly safely.

The possible impact of the flight ban

The grounding of Boeing's 737 Max 9 could have a variety of impacts, including:

Financial impact on Boeing: Boeing could suffer significant financial losses if the flight ban is extended for an extended period of time.

Impact on flight schedules: The flight ban may disrupt flight schedules and lead to flight cancellations.

Impact on passenger confidence: The flight ban could further erode passenger confidence in Boeing and 737 Max aircraft.

The FAA is expected to provide an update on its investigation into the incident in the coming days.