Boeing is under scrutiny by US lawmakers over aircraft safety issues

Boeing was the subject of two Senate hearings on Wednesday, in which the US Congress examined allegations of major security flaws at the embattled plane maker, which has been embroiled in a crisis since a door panel fell off a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

The Senate Commerce Committee heard from members of a panel of experts who found serious flaws in Boeing's safety culture. Sen. Ted Cruz said the public wants the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and lawmakers to ensure that boarding one of the company's planes has not become more dangerous.

“Commercial flights remain the safest way to travel, but obviously the latest incidents have worried the flying public. The perception is that things are getting worse,” Cruz said.

In a report released in February, the panel of experts said that despite improvements made after the crashes of two Boeing Max planes killed 346 people, Boeing's approach to safety remains flawed and employees who raise concerns could be subject to pressure and retaliation.

One of the witnesses, MIT aeronautics professor Javier de Luis, lost his sister when a Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed in Ethiopia in 2019. De Luis commented on the disconnect between Boeing management's words about safety and what that workers observe in the factory.

“They hear: 'Safety is our number one priority,'” he said. “What they see is that that is only true as long as your production milestones are met.”

In speaking to Boeing workers, De Luis said he had heard “a very real fear of revenge and retaliation if you stood your ground.”

In a second Senate appearance Wednesday, a Boeing engineer testified that the company is taking shortcuts in the assembly of the 787 Dreamliners that leave sections of the plane's skin vulnerable to breaking.

“They are making defective planes,” the whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, told members of an investigative subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the subcommittee, and his top Republican, Sen. Ron Johnson, have asked Boeing for a trove of documents dating back six years. Blumenthal said at the beginning of the hearing that his panel planned to hold new hearings on the safety of Boeing planes and that he expected Boeing CEO David Calhoun to appear for questioning.

Neither Calhoun nor any Boeing representatives attended Wednesday's hearings. A Boeing spokesman said the company is cooperating with lawmakers' investigation and offered to provide documents and briefings.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channels Youtube, WhatsApp and to newsletter. Turn on notifications and follow us on Facebook, x and instagram.