Boeing 737 MAX faces new safety concerns as FAA proposes seat inspections | Today’s news
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday that hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX planes may require inspections after it was found that passenger seats were installed incorrectly, Reuters reported.
The FAA warned that if the problem is not addressed, it could increase the risk of injury to passengers and crew during an emergency landing and slow evacuation. The proposed continuing airworthiness directive would apply to the 453 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in the United States, although foreign regulators often adopt FAA guidelines.
Around 2,300 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are currently in service worldwide, including 823 in the US, according to aviation consultancy and intelligence firm IBA.
The proposed directive comes as Boeing seeks to improve manufacturing quality under new CEO Kelly Ortberg after a series of production problems. The company is under increased scrutiny after a door panel on a recently delivered Alaska Airlines 737 MAX aircraft cracked earlier this year.
According to the proposed directive, the FAA received reports that some passenger seat assemblies were improperly installed into the seat rails. During severe turbulence or an emergency landing, the seat assemblies could come loose if subjected to increased loads.
The FAA said each 737 MAX aircraft has up to 69 bucket seats for passengers. The seat inspection is expected to take approximately one hour per aircraft, while any required repairs would take another hour and would not require additional parts. Airlines can assign more workers to inspect and repair seats at the same time, reducing overall maintenance time per aircraft.
Boeing issues guidance to airlines
The FAA did not specify a deadline for the airlines to complete the inspections and repairs. Boeing issued guidance to airlines on the issue in December 2025, and a company spokesman said it supports making the guidance mandatory.
The latest directive adds to the list of issues affecting the 737 MAX, which has faced repeated safety and production concerns since entering commercial service in 2017.
