Boeing Company BA,
Chief Executive David Calhoun told employees on Tuesday that the planemaker needs to own up to its mistakes, after a commission shot down a 737 Max 9 plane carried by Alaska Airlines days earlier, and handle the matter with “full transparency.”
“We're going to deal with this, No. 1, by owning up to our mistake,” Calhoun told employees at a meeting at the 737 plant in Renton, Washington. “We will deal with it 100% and with complete transparency every step of the way through the project.”
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report these statements and the meeting. Calhoun said such incidents shake airlines “to the bone, just as they shook me,” the newspaper reported.
He continued, according to the newspaper: “They trust us all – they trust us – and they will do it again.”
Investigators are still looking into the cause of the accident that occurred on board the plane on Friday. In response, the government over the weekend grounded 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft. The focus of the investigation into the incident has centered on possible missing bolts, known as door seals, used to secure the panel.
Even more troubling for Boeing is the fact that United Airlines UAL,
It also reported finding loose bolts in other panels after inspecting its Max 9 aircraft. Also in focus is Boeing subcontractor Spinoff Spirit AeroSystems SPR,
Which installs the plugs in the Max 9 fuselage.
Boeing shares closed 1.4% lower during regular trading hours on Tuesday.
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Barbara Kohlmeyer contributed to this article
