United Airlines (NYSE:UAL) said Monday that it has found loose bolts on door plugs of several Boeing (NYSE:BA) 737 Max 9 planes during inspections spurred when a panel of that type blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight using that type of aircraft last week.
Alaska Airlines later Monday said its initial inspections of the jets had turned up “loose hardware” and that, “No aircraft will be returned to service” until formal reviews are complete.
“The safety of these aircraft is our priority and we will take the time and steps necessary to ensure their airworthiness, in close partnership with the FAA,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday grounded dozens of 737 Max 9s after the panel blew out midflight on Alaska Flight 1282.
Alaska has 65 of the Max 9 planes in its fleet. United has 79, making it the biggest operator of the jet model.
“Since we began preliminary inspections on Saturday, we have found instances that appear to relate to installation issues in the door plug — for example, bolts that needed additional tightening,” United said in a statement. “These findings will be remedied by our Tech Ops team to safely return the aircraft to service.”
The FAA earlier Monday declined to comment on the airline’s findings.
United shares increased in price 79 cents, or 1.8%, to $43.70 early Tuesday afternoon, while shares in BA docked two dollars to $227.01.