Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun acknowledged Tuesday the “gravity” of the situation regarding the manufacturer's production quality.

Corum/AFP Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun acknowledged Tuesday the “seriousness” of the situation regarding the manufacturer's production quality, assuring a commission of inquiry of the U.S. Senate that progress had already been made. 

Sitting behind him in the audience were relatives of victims of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019, holding up photos of their loved ones. 

At the beginning of his testimony, Mr. Calhoun stood, turned around and apologized “on behalf of all Boeing employees around the world, past and present, for (their) losses.” 

“I apologize for the grief that we have caused, and I want you to know that we are fully committed, in their memory, to working and focusing on safety for as long as necessary.” 

“Again, I am sorry,” the leader, before resuming his seat facing the senators. 

We now know why Boeing planes crash in mid-flight…. pic.twitter.com/toEGIiF7eh

— Black Bond PTV (@BlackBondPtv) June 20, 2024

“Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress,” Calhoun said. 

“We understand the seriousness of this, and we are committed to moving forward with transparency and accountability, while increasing employee engagement.” 

This is the first time Calhoun has been questioned publicly by officials since the Jan. 5 incident, when a 737 MAX 9 delivered to Alaska Airlines in October lost an emergency exit door in flight. redundant. 

“It's a manufacturing defect. It created an unsafe airplane,” Mr. Calhoun admitted. 

According to the American Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), several attachment bolts had not been put back in place after an intervention on the assembly line. 

Boeing has been accumulating production and quality problems on its commercial aircraft (737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner and 777) for many months. 

– “Empty” promises – 

“It's a culture that continues to prioritize profits, push the envelope and ignore its employees,” denounced Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, chairman of the inquiry committee. Boeing's promises after the crashes – which killed 346 people – were “empty shells.”

Addressing Mr. Calhoun directly, he criticized him for “eroding the safety culture” in favor of “taking care of (its) shareholders.”

Calhoun was appointed CEO in early 2020 – he had been a director since 2009 – to turn the group around. But production failures have precipitated his retirement, by the end of 2024.

Several audits and investigations have identified numerous “non-compliance” issues and gaps, particularly in quality control. 

This commission of inquiry has already heard, in mid-April, four whistleblowers. It published new information reported by other whistleblowers on Tuesday. 

Boeing submitted a “comprehensive action plan” required by the aviation regulator (FAA) at the end of May to remedy these problems. 

– Criminal proceedings? – 

The stakes are high because the group is facing criminal prosecution in a federal court in Texas. 

According to the US Department of Justice, Boeing has “failed to comply with its obligations” under a so-called deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) related to these accidents, concluded on January 7, 2021 with a three-year monitoring period. 

Accused of fraud in the 737 MAX certification process, Boeing had agreed to pay $2.5 billion and had committed, among other things, to strengthening its compliance program. 

The aircraft manufacturer claims to have complied with the agreement. The department must decide by July 7 whether to prosecute. 

Blumenthal, a former federal prosecutor, said Tuesday that there was “overwhelming evidence” to support a prosecution. “There should be individual accountability,” he added.

“I believe strongly in accountability,” Calhoun said. 

“If there is no risk of imprisonment for these leaders who are playing with our lives, then nothing will change,” Adnaan Stumo, who lost his sister Samya Rose in the March 10, 2019, Ethiopia crash, told AFP. 

Dave Calhoun “was closely linked to all of these decisions. Dave Calhoun is part of the problem,” said their mother, Nadia Milleron, who stood by him, calling it “outrageous” that the boss repeatedly shied away from responsibility by saying he only arrived in 2020. 

“The criminals should be in prison,” added Clariss Moore, mother of Danielle, 24. 

You liked the article ? It mobilized our editorial staff, which lives only on your donations.
Information has a cost, especially since competition from subsidized editorial staff requires greater rigor and professionalism.

With your support, France-Soir will continue to offer its articles for free  because we believe that everyone should have access to free and independent information to form their own opinion.

You are the sine qua non condition for our existence, support us so that France-Soir remains the French media which allows the most legitimate voices to be expressed.