FAA Tells Airlines to Inspect Older Boeing 737s

The Federal Aviation Administration is warning airlines that use older Boeing 737 aircraft—not the 737 MAX—to inspect the planes, as those that have been sitting idle for months due to the coronavirus pandemic could have a serious problem.

Specifically, the FAA is telling carriers to inspect the planes for corrosion that could lead to engine shutdowns, according to CNBC.

The order for inspections is for planes that have not been operated for a week or more. The FAA believes that will impact about 2,000 jets in the U.S.

“With airplanes being stored or used infrequently due to lower demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, the valve can be more susceptible to corrosion,” Boeing said in a statement.

Several airlines use the Boeing 737 aircraft. Alaska Airlines said it had an incident of engine shutdown on July 15 on a flight between Seattle and Austin, Texas.

“The safety of the flight was not compromised,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement.

American Airlines said four of its more than 300 Boeing 737 NG planes were inspected and cleared.

Southwest Airlines, which operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet, said that it “has not experienced the conditions described in the directive,” but that it’s reviewing the order to see if it applies to its planes.

Delta Air Lines also said it doesn’t expect any impact to its operation or flight schedule.

United Airlines also said that it is complying with the directive and that it doesn’t expect its schedule to be disrupted.

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