In recent aviation incidents, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 was compelled to execute an emergency landing in Portland, United States, after a cabin panel detached mid-flight, resulting in a significant opening in the aircraft’s fuselage. Similarly, a Japan Airways Airbus collided with a smaller coastguard plane, leading to the Airbus catching fire.

Prompted by these events, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation, and passengers have filed a class action lawsuit against Boeing in Washington state. This raises concerns about the overall safety of air travel. Here’s an overview of the Alaska Airlines incident and the broader aviation safety scenario:

Alaska Airlines Flight Incident:

On January 5, during a flight from Portland to Ontario, a cabin door panel blew off shortly after takeoff, creating a substantial hole in one side of the aircraft and necessitating an emergency landing. The detached door panel, identified as a “door plug” covering an additional emergency exit door, had been removed.

In response, US federal officials temporarily grounded all Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners for inspection.

The fortunate circumstances surrounding this incident include the absence of passengers near the exposed area, and the plane being at a relatively low altitude of 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) during the event. Typically, planes cruise at altitudes exceeding 31,000 feet (9,448 meters). Former FAA accident investigator Jeff Guzzetti highlighted that at higher altitudes, the pressure difference might have posed a risk of passengers being pulled out of the aircraft.

The Boeing 737 Max 9, delivered to Alaska Airlines in late October and certified as safe by the FAA in early November, had only been in service for eight weeks. Despite some passengers sustaining minor injuries, the aircraft, en route from Oregon to California, safely landed in Portland with all 174 passengers and six crew members mostly unharmed.

John Strickland, an independent aviation expert based in London, expressed concern over the unexpected detachment of a supposedly secure part of the aircraft’s structure, emphasizing the unusual nature of the incident.