From the Liveblog of
Saturday, January 6, 2024
Alaska Airlines grounds all Boeing 737-9s after window, fuselage piece blew out midair
Alaska Airlines grounds all of its Boeing 737-9 aircraft, hours after a window and piece of fuselage on one such plane blew out in midair and forced an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon. No one was seriously hurt.
The incident occurred shortly after takeoff and the gaping hole caused the cabin to depressurize. Flight data showed the plane climbed to 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) before returning to Portland International Airport. The airline said the plane landed safely with 174 passengers and six crew members.
“Following tonight’s event on Flight 1282, we have decided to take the precautionary step of temporarily grounding our fleet of 65 Boeing 737-9 aircraft,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci says in a statement. “My heart goes out to those who were on this flight – I am so sorry for what you experienced.”
Each of the aircraft will be returned to service after full maintenance and safety inspections, which Minicucci says the airline anticipates completing within days.
“We are working with Boeing and regulators to understand what occurred tonight, and will share updates as more information is available,” he says.
An Alaska Airlines flight made an emergency landing Friday night after a portion of the aircraft blew out mid-air. Video obtained by CBS News appeared to show one of the passenger window panels had been blown out. https://t.co/wKIOLENg3r pic.twitter.com/M00hT7HaPx
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 6, 2024
