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United Airlines is currently reviewing its safety protocols following a series of recent safety incidents over the past two weeks.
What’s been going on:
Last Friday, a panel was discovered missing from a United aircraft upon its landing in Oregon, prompting an investigation by the FAA. This event followed two other notable incidents: a Boeing 737 MAX, operated by United, veered off the runway onto the grass in Houston, and a Boeing 777-200, also operated by United and en route to Japan, lost a tire shortly after takeoff from San Francisco.

In response to these events, CEO Scott Kirby announced that the airline is focusing on enhancing its safety training and procedures for employees. He added, “While they are all unrelated, I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus. Safety is our highest priority and is at the center of everything we do.”
What United is doing:
As part of the immediate actions, United is introducing an additional day of in-person training for all pilots starting in May, alongside a centralized training curriculum for new maintenance technicians. Kirby also highlighted the airline’s commitment to enhancing its supplier network management and encouraging employees to report safety concerns.
This all comes as Boeing faces increased scrutiny following an incident with an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, which raised concerns over aviation safety standards. Boeing has been under regulatory examination since the incident on January 5, focusing on the company’s safety and quality controls in its manufacturing processes.