Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is set to apologize to families of crash victims during a Senate grilling regarding accusations of putting profits over safety. The hearing, titled “Boeing’s Broken Safety Culture,” follows a previous session where a Boeing engineer claimed punishment for raising safety concerns about the 787 Dreamliner and 777. This will be Calhoun’s first testimony before a congressional panel since a mid-flight incident in January involving a 737 MAX. US investigators are still looking into the incident, where an Alaska Airlines plane made an emergency landing due to a fuselage panel blowing out. The Senate committee highlighted more complaints from Boeing workers, including concerns about damaged parts affecting safety.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed concerns about Boeing’s safety culture, stating that those who speak up are silenced and blamed, while responsibility is pushed to the factory floor. Blumenthal criticized Calhoun and other executives for deflecting blame and prioritizing shareholders. Calhoun has previously apologized for the Alaska Airlines incident and announced production halts to improve safety. In his opening statement ahead of the hearing, Calhoun emphasized the company’s anti-retaliation policies and commitment to transparency and accountability in improving the culture. Witnesses at a previous hearing painted a troubling picture of a company ignoring safety questions and critics in pursuit of faster production and higher profits.
During the hearing, Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour testified about flawed manufacturing processes that could lead to potential accidents on the Dreamliner due to large assembly gaps. Boeing has defended the safety of its 787 model through extensive testing. Senators Blumenthal and Ron Johnson requested records related to Salehpour’s allegations and Boeing’s whistleblower policies. The Senate panel shared details of more workers coming forward with issues, including a whistleblower, Sam Mohawk, who alleged that Boeing hid improperly stored parts from aviation inspectors. Family members of victims from the 2018 and 2019 MAX crashes, totaling 346 fatalities, will also be present at the hearing to seek justice and hold Boeing accountable.
Zipporah Kuria, who lost her father in the 2019 crash, traveled from England to Washington, DC, to witness what the Boeing CEO has to say about safety improvements. She continues to urge the US government to hold Boeing and its executives accountable for the tragic deaths. Calhoun apologized to the MAX families in his written remarks, expressing deep regret for their losses. The CEO will be joined at the hearing by Boeing Chief Engineer Howard McKenzie. The senators also reached out to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker regarding ongoing Boeing matters, including an audit following the Alaska Airlines incident. The focus of the hearing is on addressing Boeing’s broken safety culture and ensuring accountability for past incidents to prevent future tragedies.
