FAA orders inspection of Boeing 737 MAX passenger seats after installation issue

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new airworthiness directive requiring inspections and corrective action on 453 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in the United States after discovering that passenger seats may have been installed incorrectly.

According to the FAA, certain passenger seat assemblies were not properly secured to the seat tracks, creating a potential safety hazard. If left uncorrected, the improperly installed seats could move or detach during an emergency landing, increasing the risk of injury to passengers.

The agency estimates that each affected aircraft could have up to 69 seat assemblies requiring inspection, with each inspection or correction expected to take approximately one hour per seat assembly.

The proposed directive does not specify how quickly airlines would have to complete the work once it becomes mandatory. While the measure currently applies only to US-registered aircraft, international aviation authorities often adopt similar directives or require operators to comply with FAA recommendations where applicable.

The FAA said it became aware of the issue after receiving a report that some passenger seats had not been installed correctly during assembly. Boeing had not commented on the proposed directive at the time of publication.

If adopted, the directive would require airlines to inspect the affected aircraft and correctly reinstall any seat assemblies found to be improperly attached, ensuring compliance with safety standards before continued operation.