Submissions to Boeing's tip line for safety and quality concerns surged 500% in the first quarter of this year compared to a year ago.
Boeing's manufacturing processes have been under heightened scrutiny for quality and safety issues after a Jan. 5 incident in which a Boeing 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines experienced a mid-air blowout of its plug door panel after taking off, causing the cabin to depressurize and prompting the flight to return to Oregon's Portland International Airport.
A Boeing spokesperson told FOX Business that, following the incident, "Boeing increased the promotion of the Speak Up reporting system, resulting in a more than 500% increase in the number of submissions during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same time period in 2023. Increased reporting is a sign of progress toward a robust reporting culture."
"Since Jan. 5, we've been working to ensure that our employees understand that speaking up about concerns, errors, mistakes and changes that could affect the safety of our products is the single best action that every employee at Boeing can take to improve safety and quality," Boeing said.
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"We are also taking action to ensure our managers understand their role in creating positive safety culture and making sure their employees feel safe to report issues and trust that leaders are listening and taking action," the company added.
"We're also making changes that will simplify and streamline the Speak Up process to ensure it is efficient and thorough in identifying and addressing potential product safety issues."
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Boeing Vice President Lisa Fahl, who oversaw the company's 787 production, said at a briefing Monday that the amount of Speak Up submissions has "exploded" because "we're continually encouraging it."
She added this is "what we want" in terms of making it easier for Boeing workers to use the online portal and ensuring their concerns are passed along to the proper executives to be reviewed.
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That incident was among several involving Boeing aircraft that have prompted its airline clients and regulators like the Federal Aviation Administration to call for greater oversight of its production lines to ensure quality issues are addressed to ensure aircraft are safe to operate.
Boeing's woes have prompted a leadership shake-up. CEO Dave Calhoun will step down from his role at the end of the year, and Stephanie Pope will replace Stan Deal as CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
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The company will appear before the Senate Transportation Committee Wednesday to discuss findings and recommendations from an expert panel's report on Boeing's safety culture.
