US authority concerned

Oxygen masks in Boeing 737s under scrutiny

(Bild: tonefotografia )

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered inspections of more than 2,600 Boeing 737 aircraft due to potential problems with the oxygen supply in the event of an emergency. The airlines must check within 120 to 150 days whether the oxygen generators, which are connected to the oxygen masks via hoses, are in the correct places, as the FAA announced on Monday.

According to the agency, it is concerned that the oxygen masks could malfunction in an emergency. Boeing has already been under heavy pressure in the USA for months due to allegations of safety defects on its aircraft.

Older and newer versions affected
According to the FAA, the inspections for the possible oxygen problems were required on 2612 737-8, -9, -8200, -700, -800 and -900ER aircraft registered in the USA. This means that both older and newer generation models are affected.

Since the beginning of the year, several technical breakdowns on Boeing aircraft have caused uncertainty. In January, part of the cabin wall of a Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines broke off during a flight, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing. As a result, the FAA limited production of the 737 MAX to 38 per month and thus to the level of 2023.

In addition to the technical breakdowns, the pressure on Boeing has also been increased in recent months by reports from several whistleblowers about deficiencies in production and quality control.