Emergency Landing Prompts Alaska Airlines to Ground Boeing 737-9 Fleet Following Midair Window Blowout

 

An Alaska Airlines Boeing Co. 737 Max jet was forced to make an emergency landing at Portland International Airport after experiencing a window and fuselage blowout shortly after takeoff. In response to the incident, Alaska Airlines took a precautionary measure by grounding its entire fleet of 65 Boeing 737-9 aircraft. Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci stated, "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."

The airline has committed to conducting comprehensive maintenance and safety inspections on each aircraft, with the expectation of completing these procedures within the coming days.

Flight 1282, carrying 171 passengers and six crew members from Portland to Ontario, California, experienced the incident, prompting both Alaska Airlines and Boeing Airplanes to engage with passengers. Alaska Airlines expressed, "AS1282 from Portland to Ontario, CA experienced an incident this evening soon after departure. The aircraft landed safely back at Portland International Airport with 171 guests and 6 crew members. We are investigating what happened and will share more as it becomes available."

Boeing echoed the sentiment, stating, "We are aware of the incident involving Alaska Airlines Flight #AS1282. We are working to gather more information and are in contact with our airline customer. A Boeing technical team stands ready to support the investigation."

FlightRadar24 reported that the aircraft was airborne for about 20 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 16,300 feet. The affected plane was a recently delivered Boeing 737 Max 9, received by Alaska Airlines in October. This incident occurs at a critical time for Boeing as it strives to rebuild confidence in the 737 Max, a vital source of revenue for the company.