Department of Transportation

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In the news today: Alaska and United Airlines report more loose parts in the panels of other Boeing 737 Max 9 jets;

Airlines say they found loose parts in door panels during inspections of Boeing Max 9 jets Federal investigators say a door panel slid up before flying off an Alaska Airlines jetliner last week, and they are looking at whether four bolts that were supposed to help hold it in place might have been missing when the plane took off. Read more.

Why this matters: The findings of investigators and the airlines are ratcheting up pressure on Boeing to address concerns that have grown since the terrifying fuselage blowout Friday night. Boeing has called an online meeting for all employees Tuesday to discuss safety.   The comments Monday from the National Transportation Safety Board came shortly after Alaska and United Airlines reported that they found loose parts in the panels of some other Boeing 737 Max 9 jets.   The decision by Alaska Airlines to stop flying one of its planes over the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii due to warnings from a cabin-pressurization system — yet keep flying it over land — is raising questions about whether the jet should have been in the air at all.

Related coverage ➤  Alaska Airlines’ decision not to ground Boeing jet despite warning signs comes under scrutiny Twisted metal, rushing wind: A narrowly avoided disaster as jet’s wall rips away at 3 miles high WATCH: Passenger: 'Loud boom' when hole opened in Alaska Airlines plane during flight

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Boeing shares tumble after panel blows out midflight, FAA grounds dozens of 737 Maxes

Shares of Boeing tumbled 8% on Monday as investors digested the news that the Federal Aviation Administration had ordered airlines to ground dozens of Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft for urgent inspections.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/08/ba-shares-boeing-stock-slide-8percent-in-premarket-trading-after-faa-grounds-737-max-9s.html

American Airlines fined $4.1 million for dozens of long tarmac delays that trapped passengers

DALLAS (AP) — The federal government is fining American Airlines $4.1 million for dozens of instances in which passengers were kept on board planes without a chance to exit during long ground delays.

https://apnews.com/article/american-airlines-fine-ground-delays-buttigieg-40d96fb75edf972011c004bec7908420?

? Southwest fined for Christmas meltdown

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Out at 5 a.m.: The Transportation Department fined Southwest Airlines $140 million over last year's disastrous winter meltdown that left nearly 17,000 holiday flights canceled and over 2 million passengers stranded. Why it matters: Agency officials say the penalty — 30 times larger than any previous similar fine — sends a strong message to all airlines to up their customer service game, Axios' Joann Muller reports. ? As part of the penalty, Southwest must set aside $90 million in vouchers for passengers affected by future delays and cancellations. "In the event Southwest causes a passenger to arrive at their destination three hours or more after their original scheduled arrival time due to an issue within Southwest's control," DOT says, "Southwest is required to provide the passenger with a transferable $75 voucher for future use on the airline." Go deeper.

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? Plane inspections turn up loose parts

The lost door panel from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 was found Sunday in a teacher's backyard in suburban Portland, Ore. Photo: NTSB/AP The old saying went: "If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going." But last week's near-catastrophe involving a Boeing 737 is drawing fresh scrutiny of the company and its manufacturing, quality control and safety practices, writes Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick, a pilot. Why it matters: Boeing had been trying to revive its once-sterling reputation ever since a combined 346 people were killed in crashes involving its 737 Max 8 in 2018 and 2019. United Airlines said it has "found instances that appear to relate to installation issues in the door plug — for example, bolts that needed additional tightening" in Boeing 737 Max 9 jets. Boeing said: "Safety is our top priority and we deeply regret the impact this event has had on our customers and their passengers." Keep reading.

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US investigating if Boeing made sure a part that blew off a jet was made to design standards

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether Boeing failed to make sure a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week was safe and manufactured to meet the design that regulators approved.

https://apnews.com/article/faa-boeing-door-blowout-investigation-alaska-airlines-5c378e8080ae1bf1e3d3f7e68d498d5c?

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Ground collision of two planes in Chicago sparks FAA investigation

CHICAGO (AP) — A plane taxiing for departure clipped another aircraft at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Sunday evening, the Federal Aviation Administration said Monday.

https://apnews.com/article/planes-ohare-boeing-delta-c8d785674aeda46ec5563e03d31f38c5?

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FAA approves inspection process that could clear the way for grounded Boeing planes to fly again Federal regulators have approved an inspection process that will let airlines resume flying their Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners, which have been grounded since a side panel blew out of a plane in midflight earlier this month. Read more.

Why this matters: Boeing said it will work with the FAA and airlines to get the grounded planes back in the air. Alaska and United Airlines — the only U.S. carriers with Max 9s — have canceled hundreds of flights, and United said this week that it would lose money in the first three months of this year because of the grounding.   The FAA would not agree to any Boeing request to expand production of Max planes until the agency is satisfied that quality-control concerns have been addressed, FAA head Mike Whitaker said.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Delta plane loses nose wheel as it prepared for takeoff from Atlanta   At United and Alaska airlines, frustration with Boeing’s manufacturing problems is boiling over   United Airlines expects to lose money from the grounding of Boeing Max 9 jets

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Federal watchdog says Boeing door plug blowout likely involved missing bolts

Missing bolts likely contributed to an emergency blowout aboard a Boeing 737 MAX 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight last month, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) preliminary findings on the incident released on Tuesday.

https://www.axios.com/2024/02/06/boeing-737-max-alaska-airlines-blowout-ntsb-report?

NTSB says bolts on Boeing jetliner were missing before a panel blew out in midflight last month

Bolts that helped secure a panel to the frame of a Boeing 737 Max 9 were missing before the panel blew off the Alaska Airlines plane last month, according to accident investigators.

https://apnews.com/article/boeing-emergency-landing-report-alaska-airlines-8543c90b68b4d932a700cf57ff8f1b8e?

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Rail spikes hammered, bullet train being built from Sin City to the City of Angels

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A $12 billion passenger bullet train linking Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area was dubbed the first true high-speed rail line in the nation on Monday, with the private company building it predicting millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028.

https://apnews.com/article/high-speed-train-vegas-los-angeles-brightline-595913ff2fa3d9001fb89bfab4e6c4d2?

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Airlines will now be required to give automatic cash refunds for canceled and delayed flights

The Biden administration issued final rules Wednesday to require airlines to automatically issue cash refunds for things like delayed flights and to better disclose fees for baggage or canceling a reservation.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/04/23/airlines-will-now-be-required-to-give-automatic-cash-refunds-for-canceled-and-delayed-flights/?

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Biden administration wants to ban airline fees for kids to sit with parents

The Biden administration wants to ban airlines from charging parents to sit with their kids on flights.

https://www.axios.com/2024/08/01/junk-fees-biden-administration-airlines-kids?

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Airline fees

 

The Biden administration has proposed a new rule banning airlines from charging parents extra fees for their kids to be seated next to them. "Families don't need any additional stresses or costs when flying on top of how demanding it can be to be a parent flying with your kids," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said when announcing the proposed rule. White House officials say their "fee-free family seating" proposal could potentially save parents up to $200 per round-trip flight. The rule would require airlines to seat children 13 and under next to their parents within 48 hours of purchasing the ticket. The proposed mandate still needs to clear a public comment period and is unlikely to be enacted until sometime next year.

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US government orders big US airlines to explain their frequent-flyer programs

The Biden administration is examining the four largest U.S. airline frequent-flyer programs and how they devalue points that consumers have earned and frequently change the number of points or miles needed to book flights.

https://apnews.com/article/airlines-frequent-flyer-programs-transportation-department-95f5ae64634a78aa4b874df8cab5cc9a?

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Flight refunds

US airlines are now required to refund passengers automatically if their flight is significantly delayed or canceled. The Department of Transportation says the final federal rule requiring that airlines dole out refunds — not vouchers — went into effect Monday. "Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg posted on X. The rule says airlines must refund passengers affected by significantly changed flights within seven business days if they bought a ticket on a credit card and within 20 calendar days if they used another form of payment. The move has faced pushback from the airline industry and is being implemented only a month before the start of what is likely to be a huge holiday travel season.

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Federal review finds 44% of US trucking schools don’t comply with government rules

Nearly 44% of the 16,000 truck driving programs listed nationwide by the government may be forced to close if they lose their students after a review by the federal Transportation Department found they may not be complying with minimum requirements.

https://apnews.com/article/commercial-drivers-license-trucking-california-pennsylvania-96fee86df4f9bfb0ef65af20da878a57?