Flyers are changing flights to avoid Boeing airplanes, reports and social media posts show – following a rash of recent incidents involving the embattled manufacturer.
Amid the mishaps, some have taken to traveling with anti-anxiety medication, NBC News reported Saturday – while interviewing travelers about their shifting strategies.
Others posted to TikTok to outline their new game plans – with one showing how to specifically exclude Boeing craft from prospective flights when booking them online.
Praying has surfaced as another popular course of action to combat the missteps, which most recently saw a United Airlines plane grounded on March 15.
The plane, a Boeing 737-824, was found to have lost a panel midflight, days after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner experienced a drop that injured dozens of passengers.
Both came after an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-MAX 9 lost a door mid-flight in January, spurring a federal investigation. With several incidents since, the FAA is mulling measures to curb United’s growth, like preventing it from adding new routes.
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Flyers are changing flights to avoid Boeing airplanes, posts to social media show – following a rash of recent incidents involving the embattled manufacturer.
A United Airlines plane built by Boeing was grounded on March 15 after it was found to be missing a panel when it touched down following a flight. Pictured: The missing part on the 25-year-old Boeing 737-824, which is older then the Max models
‘Are you nervous about flying Boeing after all of the news recently?’ TikToker Christian Grossi tells his more than 1.4million followers in one such clip, posted on March 14.
‘Well this is something you’re gonna wanna listen to.’
‘After doing some research – because I don’t want to fly on the Boeing Maxes either – I found out when you’re booking you’re flights, you can actually select to exclude that aircraft,’ he says, walking his followers through the process.
‘Normally when I’m booking flights, I check all of the sites – so Google Flights, or I go directly to like United or American Airlines,’ he continues, as the incidents involving Boeing continue to weigh on the collective US consciousness.
‘But, this website – and I never use it – this is Kayak, lets you exclude the Boeing 737 Max 9 from your search,’ he states, showing travelers how to avoid Maxes – a model grounded for two years in 2019 after two crashes that collectively killed 346.
‘Let’s figure out how to do that,’ he says in the clip, which, like others like it, has since garnered tens of thousands of views.
‘We’re gonna go from New York, let just put Los Angeles…and we’re gonna hit search,’ he continues.
‘Right off the bat, I’m not seeing the option yet to switch off the aircraft.’
But after further perusal of filters including ‘airlines’ and flight duration’, the TikToker comes across the categories in question – listed simply as ‘plane’ and ‘model.’
‘Are you nervous about flying Boeing after all of the news recently?’ TikToker Christian Grossi tells his more than 1.4million followers in one such clip, posted on March 14, before showing how to specifically avoid certain plane models
A list of Boeing-made planes was produced as proof, where travelers have the option to uncheck them if desired
Since garnering more than 150,000 views, he concludes: ‘And there you go. Now you never have to fly on one of those planes ever again’
‘So we’re just gonna click plane,’ he states at this point, showing viewers his screen for easier understanding.
‘Once you click plane, this drop down arrow comes… and look. All of the planes are selected. And we can actually unselect the Max-9 and the Max-8,’ he says.
Showing a list of Boeing Max-less flights as proof, he concludes: ‘And there you go. Now you never have to fly on one of those planes ever again.’
Others, like TikToker culturework, aired more of the same, issuing instructional videos on ‘how to avoid a 737-MAX, if you can.’
The instructions come two weeks after an ex-quality manager at a Boeing was found dead in an apparent suicide, while doing depositions in a whistleblower lawsuit over production practices surrounding the aviation giant’s 787 Dreamliner and 737 Max models – models he warned about in an interview just weeks before his demise.
It also comes two years after crashes in 2018 and 2019 in Ethiopia and Indonesia, both of which involved Max planes.
The incidents, which occurred within months of each other, spurred an investigation by the FAA, who went on to clear Max planes for flight in 2021.
However, scrutiny into the planes – since joined by the craft’s flagship 787-Dreamliner – was reignited this past January, when the door flew off the Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight in January, spurring a new FAA investigation.
At least seven other incidents, several involving United flights, have occurred since – leading the FAA to discuss temporary actions it may take with the airline’s leadership, insiders familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
The instructions come two years after crashes in 2018 and 2019 in Ethiopia (pictured) and Indonesia, both of which involved Max planes. Teams collect personal effects and other materials from the crash site of Ethiopian Airlines Flight in March 2019
That crash came less than a year after another flight on a Boeing 737 MAX jet, which left 189 people dead in Indonesia. Pictured are inspectors at the site of the Lion Air Flight crash in November 2018
Jackson County Airport Director Amber Judd reiterated the plane was not a new aircraft, unlike the slew of incidents seen in recent months. An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-MAX 9 lost a door mid-flight in January, with several incident involving Boeing-made planes occurring since
In addition to route restrictions, United may be barred from flying paying customers on newly delivered aircraft, the sources reportedly said – asking to not to be identified as the disclosed the discussions.
Others who spoke to NBC News cited the recent headlines surrounding Boeing craft, which started when the supposedly state of the art, brand-new 737 Max lost plane shortly after take-off from Portland International in January.
Then, a few weeks later, another incident involving a Boeing 737, occurred March 4 shortly after takeoff from Florida’s Fort Meyers, and saw one of the United plane’s engines catch fire.
Footage from the cabin showed passengers screaming and crying as they witnessed flames billowing up over one of the plane’s wings, after one of the turbines on the United flight somehow ingested bubble wrap before the departure, the airline said.
No one was injured during the incident.
A few days later, on another United flight, a wheel fell off a Boeing 777-200 shortly after takeoff in San Francisco.
As was the case with the other mishaps, the malfunctions occurred shortly after take-off, and saw the 256lb wheel crush several cars parked below after plummeting to the ground.
The United Airlines flight on its way to Osaka was barely off the runway when the Boeing 777-200’s wheel detached, with footage showing it laying on the runway following the frightening fall.
The plane with 235 passengers and 14 crew diverted to Los Angeles Airport after it was alerted to the landing gear failure at 11:35am March 8, before eventually landing safely at LAX at around 1.20pm with no further incident.
No injuries were reported on the ground.
Roughly 50 people were treated by first responders and at least five remain hospitalized – after a LATAM airlines plane dipped violently on March 12
Another, involving a Boeing 737, occurred March 4 shortly after takeoff from Florida’s Fort Meyers, and saw one of the plane’s engines catch fire. Footage from the cabin showed passengers screaming as they witnessed flames billowing over one of the plane’s wings
A few days later, on another United flight, a wheel fell off a Boeing 777-200 shortly after takeoff in San Francisco
As was the case with the other mishaps, it occurred shortly after take-off, and saw the 256lb wheel crush several cars parked below after plummeting to the ground
Then, four days later, a United Airlines aircraft skidded off a runway into a grassy area after a rough landing in Houston
The aircraft, which arrived from Memphis, suffered some form of gear collapse as it exited the runway at George Bush Airport. The 160 passengers and six crew were not injured
Footage showed the plane stopped with its wing touching the ground by the side of the runway, while passengers were hurried off from an emergency gate ladder. The plane, in that case, was also a Boeing 737 Max
A few hours later, a flight from San Francisco to Mexico City was diverted to LA after an issue with the plane’s hydraulic system, United Airlines said – this time referring to a Boeing 777-300, the same model seen spewing hydraulic fluid on March 11
United, at the time, issued a statement that seemingly attempted to quell riders’ concerns: ‘The 777-200 has six tires on each of its two main landing gear struts.
‘The aircraft is designed to land safely with missing or damaged tires.’
The craft is the same model seen leaking hydraulic fluid in Sydney on Monday.
Then, four days later, a United Airlines aircraft skidded off a runway into a grassy area after a rough landing in Houston.
The aircraft, which arrived from Memphis, is said to have suffered some form of gear collapse as it exited the runway at George Bush Airport. The 160 passengers and six crew were not injured.
Footage showed the plane stopped with its wing touching the ground by the side of the runway, while passengers were hurried off from an emergency gate ladder.
The plane, in that case, was also a Boeing 737 Max.
A few hours later, a flight from San Francisco to Mexico City was diverted to LA after an issue with the plane’s hydraulic system, United Airlines said – this time referring to a Boeing 777-300, the same model seen spewing hydraulic fluid on March 11.
None of the 183 passengers or crew were injured.
The next day, retired Boeing Quality Manager John Barnett – who had been involved in whistleblower retaliation suit against the manufacturer – was found dead in South Carolina from what cops said was a self-inflicted gunshot.
His death came during a break in depositions in his whistleblower retaliation suit, in Charleston where he was to meet Boeing lawyers fighting his case.
It alleged Barnett, 62, witnessed under-pressure workers at the firm’s then new plant in South Carolina were deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the assembly line, and that in some cases, second-rate parts were removed from scrap bins, before being fitted to planes that were being built to prevent delays.
Back in January, the staffer who spent four years overseeing quality checks at the Charleston plant issued stark warnings about the aviation giant’s 787 Dreamliner and 737 Max models.
‘This is not a 737 problem – this is a Boeing problem,’ he said weeks before being found dead from an apparent suicide, after being asked if he believed the 737 was safe to fly following the door incident and the renewed FAA inspection.
‘I know the FAA is going in and done due diligence and inspections to ensure the door close on the 737 is installed properly and the fasteners are stored properly,’ he said, citing the parts that likely played a part in the incident.
The next day, retired Boeing Quality Manager John Barnett – who had been involved in whistleblower retaliation suit against the manufacturer – was found dead in South Carolina from what cops said was a self-inflicted gunshot. He is seen here warning TMZ about the firm’s production practices – for 787s and 737s in particular
‘But, my concern is, “What’s the rest of the airplane? What’s the condition of the rest of the airplane?”‘
He went on to provide a reason for that concern – one that he said led him to file the lawsuit against the aviation firm.
‘Back in 2012, Boeing started removing inspection operations off their jobs,’ he told TMZ’s Charles Latibeaudiere and Harvey Levin, recalling his time as a quality overseer at Boeing’s plant in South Carolina, which manufactured mostly 787s.
‘So, it left the mechanics to buy off their own work,’ he explained.
Barnett went on to charge that the incident involving the door was indicative of something greater – and something alleged in his lawsuit: Boeing turning a blind eye to safety concerns in order to raise their bottom line.
‘What we’re seeing with the door plug blowout is what I’ve seen with the rest of the airplane, as far as jobs not being completed properly, inspection steps being removed, issues being ignored,’ he charged, months before his sudden death.
‘My concerns are with the 737 and 787, because those programs have really embraced the theory that quality is overhead and non value added.
Boeing’s assembly plant in North Charleston – where the deceased worked for decades – is seen here. It manufactures mostly 787s
The plant where Barnett worked for decades is where Boeing builds the 787 Dreamliner, one of several crafts from the airliner that’s made headlines as of late. Pictured: an unrelated United Airlines Boeing 787-9 takes off from Los Angeles international Airport on July 30, 2022
‘Those two programs have really put a strong effort into removing quality from the process.’
The FAA appears to have stood up some of the expert’s assertions after revealing how a six-week audit found ‘multiple instances where [Boeing] allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements’ of its 737s.
At one point during the exam, feds found that mechanics at Spirit AeroSystems – one of Boeing’s main suppliers – used a hotel key card to check a door seal, and a liquid Dawn soap to a door seal ‘as lubricant in the fit-up process.’
That action was ‘not identified/documented/called-out in the production order,’ a document outlining the probe said – spurring FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker to decree Boeing must develop a comprehensive plan to address such ‘systemic quality-control issues’ within 90 days
He sent summary of its findings to the companies in its completed audit, after an all-day February 27 meeting with CEO Dave Calhoun. He did not state the specific corrective actions Boeing and Spirit must take.
‘Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements,’ Whitaker explained at the time last week. ‘We are going to hold them accountable every step of the way, with mutually understood milestones and expectations.’
Calhoun responded in his own statement, saying that Boeing’s leadership team was ‘totally committed’ to addressing FAA concerns and developing the plan.
Spirit, which makes the fuselage for the now scrutinized MAX, issued a statement saying it was ‘in communication with Boeing and the FAA on appropriate corrective actions.’
In response, Boeing claimed that after some ‘quality stand-downs, the FAA audit findings, and the recent expert review panel report, we have a clear picture of what needs to be done.’
Since then, the 737 has continued to experience technical failures, after being grounded by the FAA for two years following the two crashes in 2018 and 2019.
Meanwhile, former Boeing Quality Manager John Barnett – who had been involved in whistleblower retaliation suit against the manufacturer – was found dead from what police said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound Saturday, while meeting Boeing lawyers in South Carolina
The plant where Barnett worked for decades is where Boeing builds the 787 Dreamliner, one of several crafts from the airliner that’s made headlines as of late. Pictured: an unrelated United Airlines Boeing 787-9 takes off from Los Angeles international Airport on July 30, 2022
Roughly 50 people were treated by first responders and at least five remain hospitalized – after a LATAM airlines plane dipped violently on March 12.
The cause of the issue, like the others, are currently under investigation, at a time where the firm is already under heavy scrutiny, and while Boeing’s value has nosedived an eye-watering $150billion to $112billion.
Further complicating matters is the fact that Boeing’s continued crises have now forced airlines like United and Southwest to cut flights and even pause hiring – decisions bolstered by United’s decision to hold off on the unproved 737 Max 10,
Once the Max 10 gets clearance to operate, Kirby said Monday, United will start accepting some of the craft into its fleet.
Back in January, shortly after the door incident, Kirby said the airline would build a fleet plan without the Max 10 because of constant delays.
Last week, United told staff it would have to pause pilot hiring this spring because new Boeing planes are arriving late, CNBC reported.
Southwest Airlines, which only flies Boeing 737s, also trimmed its capacity forecast for 2024, saying this week that it was reevaluating the year’s financial guidance, citing fewer Boeing deliveries than it previously expected: 46 as opposed to 79.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun speaks with reports at the Capitol in January after MAX 9 planes were grounded following the door incident. The company is now under criminal investigation
Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said at the JPMorgan industry conference Tuesday: Boeing needs to become a better company and the deliveries will follow that.’
Alaska Airlines added Tuesday that its 2024 capacity estimates are ‘in flux due to uncertainty around the timing of aircraft deliveries as a result of increased FAA and DOJ scrutiny on Boeing and its operations.’
Boeing, meanwhile, did not link the memo to what happened this week on the LATAM flight, which was between and New Zealand.
The Federal Aviation Administration, however, confirmed the Boeing memo was issued ‘in response to the incident’, adding that it was convening a panel of experts to review Boeing’s message to airlines.
The part in question is on roughly 375 planes, according to an insider who spoke to The Wall Street Journal.
Passengers reported that when the Dreamliner dropped, people not wearing seatbelts were tossed from their seats and thrust into the cabin ceiling and aisles. The plane later landed at Auckland Airport as scheduled.
Multiple investigations into the firm remain underway, as Boeing remains under criminal investigation.
In addition to possibly nixing flights, the FAA – the agency carrying out that probe – has already rescinded United’s ability to promote pilots to fly different aircraft models, two insiders told Bloomberg.