FAA flags potential safety risk on hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX planes
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new airworthiness directive requiring inspections of passenger seat installations on hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft after reports that some seats may have been installed incorrectly, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
The proposed directive applies to 453 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in the United States. According to the FAA, improperly installed seat assemblies could detach from their tracks during turbulence or an emergency landing, potentially injuring passengers and crew or blocking evacuation routes.
"This condition, if not addressed, could result in injury to passengers and crew during an emergency landing or could block the aisle, which could slow evacuation," the FAA said.
The agency said each aircraft could have up to 69 track-mounted passenger seat assemblies requiring inspection. The fix is expected to take about one work hour per seat assembly and does not require replacement parts. The FAA has not yet specified a compliance deadline if the directive is finalized.
The proposal comes as Boeing continues efforts to strengthen manufacturing quality under CEO Kelly Ortberg following heightened regulatory scrutiny after the January 2024 Alaska Airlines 737 MAX door plug blowout.
A Boeing spokesperson said the company had already issued guidance to operators on the issue in December 2025 and welcomed the FAA's move.
"We support the FAA making that guidance mandatory," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Boeing posted its first full-year net profit since 2018, marking a financial turnaround after years of losses stemming from the 737 MAX crisis and the downturn in the aviation industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
