Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes grounded after Alaska Airlines mid-flight door blow out

Los Angeles, California, USA - February 06, 2022: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 Aircraft taking off - Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States has ordered the grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets after the emergency door on an Alaska Airlines plane blew out mid-flight.

Flight AS1282 made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport on Saturday after a hole approximately the size of a refrigerator emerged in the side of the plane, causing the cabin to depressurise. No one was seriously injured, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, and the 174 passengers and six crew members used oxygen masks on their descent to Portland.

US aviation investigators said initial findings suggest that the emergency was not the result of a widespread flaw with the Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.

“We’ll look at the pressurisation system, we’ll look at the door, the hinges,” Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said at a news conference.

Do we suspect that there is an overall design problem with this plane based on previous accidents involving Boeing Max? At this time, no.”

Alaska Airlines’ CEO, Ben Minicucci, said the inspection of the carrier’s 737-9 fleet could take several days to complete. The planes make up a fifth of the airline’s 314 planes.

“We are working with Boeing and regulators to understand what occurred … and will share updates as more information is available,” Minicucci said. “My heart goes out to those who were on this flight – I am so sorry for what you experienced.”

The aircraft involved in the emergency had only been in action for two months and undergone 145 flights since hitting the skies on 11 November.

No Australian carriers have Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes in their respective fleets.

The only airlines which, prior to this incident, operated MAX 9 jets are Aeromexico, Air Tanzania, Alaska Airlines, Copa Airlines, Correndon Dutch Airlines, flydubai, Icelandair, Lion Air, SCAT Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and United Airlines.

Copa and Aeromexico have announced they will both ground their respective MAX 9 planes, while Travel Weekly awaits comment from Turkish Airlines.

United originally had 7,951 flights scheduled with the 737-9 planes this month, while Alaska had 5,082 scheduled.

This emergency comes nearly five years after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft was grounded around the world after a fault in the plane’s design resulted in two crashes that killed hundreds of passengers in 2018 and 2019. The planes have since returned to service after Boeing made changes to its flight control system which was implicated in the crashes.

(Featured Image: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 Aircraft taking off – iStock/Laser1987)

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

Boeing 737 Max 9

Latest News

  • Food & Beverage
  • Hotels

Lee Ho Fook chef Victor Liong adds another chapter with new offering Singapore’s Quenino Artyzen hotel

Melbourne chef Victor Liong, of the two-hatted Lee Ho Fook, has added to his culinary storytelling with Quenino by Victor Liong, in Singapore’s Artyzen hotel, where contemporary Asian cuisine is served with a relaxed fine-dining flair. Artyzen Singapore emerged from an iconic Singapore heritage landmark that was once the sprawling tropical-garden mansion named “Villa Marie” […]

  • Food & Beverage

Tolpuddle Vineyard opens Tasting Room in Coal River Valley

Tolpuddle Vineyard is opening its Tasting Room at their Coal River Valley property in Richmond, Tasmania, this Friday, 13 December. The Tolpuddle Vineyard Tasting Room, managed by Pip Anderson, previously general manager of hospitality at Mona, will be open from Friday to Monday, 11am to 5pm with appointments available online. Visitors can taste a flight […]

  • Aviation

Air Tahiti Nui celebrates big wins with 2025 APEX awards and Cash & Miles Program

Air Tahiti Nui has again been recognised for service to travellers being honoured with the prestigious Five Star Major Airline title for the 7th consecutive year. Announced at the APEX/IFSA Awards 2025 ceremony, the ranking is based on passenger reviews of over one million flights and 600 airlines. The flagship carrier of The Islands of […]

  • Aviation

Qatar Airways’ Student Club marks four-year milestone with educate a child campaign

Qatar Airways’ Student Club program is marking its fourth anniversary by teaming up with the charity Education Above All that will see the carrier donate $10 for every booking made by a club member. Education Above All is the non-profit organisation founded by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson and founder of Education Above […]

  • Aviation

Qatar Airways surprises Melbourne passengers with upgrades to celebrate 15 years

Qatar Airways has celebrated its 15th anniversary in Australia by giving passengers Business Class upgrades at Melbourne Airport on Friday. The airline has flown over 9.7 million passengers in and out of Australia since starting its operation in 2009 with Australian operations commencing on 7 December 2009 with the Melbourne-Doha route. Since then, the airline […]