US aviation regulators have mandated inspections for over 2,600 Boeing 737 aeroplanes due to potential issues with passenger oxygen masks. Operators must check the oxygen generators and perform necessary corrective actions within 120 to 150 days, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Additionally, Boeing has reached a plea agreement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) over fraud charges related to two fatal 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia. The company will plead guilty to “conspiracy to defraud the United States” and will avoid a criminal trial. The terms include a $243.6 million fine, a $455 million investment in compliance and safety programmes, and oversight by an independent monitor for three years.
The agreement has faced objections from the victims’ families, who argue it is too lenient on Boeing. The original deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) from 2021 required Boeing to pay $2.5 billion in fines and restitution. Boeing’s compliance with the DPA was questioned following a recent incident involving a 737 MAX, prompting the new scrutiny and plea deal.
