Are Boeing 737s still safe to fly?

It’s been a rocky road for giant US aircraft manufacturer Boeing. In February 2024, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 experienced explosive decompression when a mid-cabin door plug blew off after departure from Portland, Oregon. An investigation revealed four bolts that hold the door plug in place were missing.

In March, Boeing 737s reported unresponsive rudder controls after landing and the following month an engine cover ripped off a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 in mid-flight, causing the pilot to return the aircraft to Denver.

Boeing’s entire 737 Max fleet has been under the safety spotlight after crashes in 2018 and 2019 resulted in almost 350 deaths. That caused a worldwide grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, which only returned to service in January 2024.

Now comes the news that workers at Spirit AeroSystems, which supplies the fuselages of the 737 Max, have been using a plastic tool akin to a credit card and Dawn dishwashing liquid as part of their tool kit. That’s not a problem apparently. The plastic tool is used to check seals while the soap is used as a lubricant to ensure there are no tears or bulges when seals are being installed. Boeing engineers have approved both, according to Spirit.

Workers and executives at Boeing have blamed a corporate culture which prioritised aircraft deliveries and shareholder returns at the expense of safety, leading to a management shakeup that will see the departure of Boeing’s chief executive at the end of 2024.

Negative media coverage is causing alarm among some travellers scheduled to fly aboard a Boeing 737 Max 9. Some are avoiding the aircraft, cancelling travel plans when their itinerary involves a Max 9.

However the 737 is one of the world’s most enduring and safest aircraft, having entered service in 1968. The 737 is the best-selling jet airliner ever. In 2018, it was estimated that the global fleet of Boeing 737s had carried more than 22 billion passengers.

In 55 years of service, accidents involving Boeing 737s have resulted in 5779 deaths. That puts the fatality rate at fewer than three for every 10 million who have flown aboard a Boeing 737, another statistic to underline the fact that flying is by far the safest form of transport.