Boeing in turbulence: Crisis of safety, confidence, and corporate culture

Recurring safety incidents and reputational damage

While Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner recently surpassed the milestone of carrying one billion passengers, this symbolic achievement has been eclipsed by repeated safety concerns. From the Air India crash in Ahmedabad to the recent Jeju Air disaster in South Korea, Boeing remains prominently linked - directly or indirectly - to aviation tragedies that dominate headlines, regardless of its level of responsibility.

These incidents continue to draw attention to the company’s safety record in the wake of the two catastrophic 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.

Further undermining public confidence was the January 5, 2024, in-flight blowout of a mid-exit door (MED) plug on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. According to a final report issued by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the cause was Boeing’s failure to provide adequate training, guidance, and oversight to its factory workers. Investigators discovered that four critical bolts had not been installed to secure the door plug, which had been opened for fuselage repairs and improperly reattached at Boeing’s Renton facility in September 2023 without the required documentation or quality inspection.

The NTSB also criticized the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for failing to ensure that Boeing addressed “repetitive and systemic” nonconformities, and found Boeing’s internal safety management system to be inadequate and lacking formal oversight in the two years prior to the accident. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy called the deficiencies “preventable,” warning that similar quality escapes could result in further accidents.

International investigation efforts intensify

In the aftermath of the Jeju Air disaster in South Korea, international collaboration has taken center stage in the investigation process. According to Seoul’s transport ministry, a joint team comprising one member from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, three experts from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and four representatives from Boeing has joined forces with South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB). The U.S. team arrived in Muan, near the crash site, to coordinate a forensic inspection of the wreckage.

The presence of American investigators and manufacturer representatives underscores the global implications of the crash. Under the International Civil Aviation Organization convention, South Korea, as the country of occurrence, leads the investigation. However, stakeholders such as the aircraft’s manufacturer (Boeing) and the home countries of victims also have the right to participate. While Thailand lost two citizens in the crash, it has reportedly opted out of involvement.

According to transport officials, the international team is currently analyzing wreckage and debris in search of mechanical anomalies. Notably, the aircraft’s flight data recorder suffered external damage and was missing a critical power connector, complicating data retrieval. Authorities are weighing whether the damaged unit can be analyzed domestically or must be shipped to the United States for further examination. The cockpit voice recorder was recovered in relatively intact condition and is expected to yield important insights.

The investigation’s scope also includes interviews with local air traffic controllers and a comprehensive review of airport operational records. Meanwhile, South Korea has temporarily shut down Muan International Airport, where the crash occurred, and declared a national mourning period, reflecting the gravity of the tragedy.

Emerging engine risks add to technical concerns

In a parallel development, the NTSB issued an urgent safety recommendation on June 18, 2025, warning of a potentially hazardous flaw in CFM International’s LEAP-1B engines, used on Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The alert stems from multiple incidents — including a 2023 emergency involving Southwest Airlines — where smoke from hot engine oil entered the cockpit or passenger cabin following bird ingestion events that triggered the engine’s load reduction device (LRD).

The LRD is designed to reduce engine vibration in the event of damage, but the NTSB found that it can compromise the engine’s oil system, potentially allowing smoke to infiltrate the aircraft’s air circulation system. In one case, the resulting smoke was so dense that pilots could barely read their instruments, forcing them to make emergency landings.

Although no injuries occurred in those instances, the NTSB has called for immediate action. Boeing has since updated its operational flight manuals to better instruct crews on how to respond to LRD-related smoke events. Additionally, the NTSB urged aviation regulators — including the FAA, EASA, and China’s Civil Aviation Administration — to investigate whether other LEAP engine variants (1A and 1C) face similar risks and to require software updates already developed by Boeing and CFM.

This latest technical warning adds another layer to Boeing’s ongoing crisis. Even as the company grapples with high-profile crashes, whistleblower claims, and corporate restructuring, it must now address emerging mechanical vulnerabilities in some of its most widely deployed engines — raising fresh questions about design integrity and regulatory oversight.

Whistleblowers and accountability challenges

These findings align with long-standing concerns raised by whistleblowers about Boeing’s internal culture. Former employees have accused the company of fitting sub-standard parts under pressure and retaliating against staff who raised safety issues. The suicide of quality manager John Barnett and congressional testimony by engineer Sam Salehpour have cast a harsh spotlight on the company’s handling of internal dissent and its claims of a “robust reporting culture.”

Although Boeing insists that whistleblower protections are in place and cites a fivefold increase in internal safety reports, the credibility of these claims is undercut by mounting legal pressures. Most recently, Boeing avoided criminal prosecution by agreeing to plead guilty to conspiracy to obstruct a federal investigation and paying over $1.1 billion in penalties - a deal that drew sharp criticism from victims’ families.

Labor tensions and economic fallout

On the domestic front, Boeing has struggled to maintain industrial stability. A major labor strike that began in September 2024 over wage disputes halted production lines and cost the firm nearly $10 billion. Although a tentative agreement includes a 38% wage increase and bonuses, the strike illustrated how strained labor relations have become. Simultaneously, Boeing announced layoffs affecting 17,000 workers, underscoring its ongoing restructuring efforts and growing uncertainty around future production and profitability.

The company’s commercial aircraft division reported a $4 billion quarterly loss, and Boeing resorted to a $20 billion share sale to shore up its finances. These developments contributed to sharp fluctuations in its stock price, which tumbled nearly 5% after the recent Air India crash - even before the cause was known.

A long road ahead

Boeing’s new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, has promised a renewed focus on safety and cultural reform, but the path to recovery remains steep. As the NTSB investigation shows, Boeing’s challenges are no longer isolated incidents; they reflect systemic breakdowns in quality control, oversight, and corporate accountability. With legal liabilities mounting, public trust wavering, and global scrutiny intensifying, Boeing’s long-term reputation - and its position in the global aerospace market - now hangs in the balance.

Earlier, it was reported that the aircraft that crashed in the Indian state of Gujarat, in the Meghaninagar area near Ahmedabad Airport, was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Air India. The flight, AI171, was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport with 242 passengers and crew on board. The crash occurred approximately five minutes after takeoff. On Friday, June 13, Air India confirmed that there was only one survivor from the tragic incident.