United Airlines Finds Loose Bolts In Boeing 737 Max Jets During Inspections

(Bloomberg) -- United Airlines Holdings Inc. found loose bolts in multiple Boeing Co. 737 Max jets as it carried out inspections after a rival carrier’s plane suffered a structural failure.

“Since we began preliminary inspections on Saturday, we have found instances that appear to relate to installation issues in the door plug – for example, bolts that needed additional tightening,” the company said Monday in an emailed statement. “These findings will be remedied by our Tech Ops team to safely return the aircraft to service.”

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The planes are all recently built Max 9 models, the same version that suffered the earlier accident, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified.

US aviation safety regulators grounded and ordered inspections for 171 Max 9 jets after a fuselage section blew out of a similar-vintage Alaska Air Group Inc. plane as it was climbing out of Portland, Oregon, on Jan. 5. No passengers or crew were injured during the accident, which left a gaping hole in the brand-new jet.

The findings by United heighten the urgency for operators of the Max 9. Boeing on Monday issued guidelines to airlines on how to conduct inspections, an initial step before the US Federal Aviation Administration will approve a return to flight.

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