by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:50 PM ET, Wed April 2, 2025
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg testified on Wednesday in front of
members of the United States Senate as part of a Congressional hearing
following fatal crashes, assembly
oversights and general mismanagement.
According to Bloomberg.com,
Ortberg told members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Transportation and
Science that while Boeing had made several “unacceptable” missteps, the
airplane manufacturer was outlining a path forward and on the right track.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz called for the meeting in February
following increased scrutiny following a series of incidents, including a panel
blowing off an Alaska Airlines 737 Boeing MAX 9 midflight last year.
“No one is more committed to turning our company around than
our team,” Ortberg said. “Working together, we are focused on connecting the
world, protecting our freedoms and supporting our economy.”
“This commitment to aviation safety goes well beyond
Boeing,” Ortberg continued. “It all depends on us getting this right.”
Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell spoke to Ortberg about “Boeing’s
work with employees” and its “robust” safety management system, an FAA-mandated
system to address risks. The new CEO told Congress that the company’s
changes were focused on four main areas:
- Reducing the number of defects as aircraft move through
production
- Enhancing employee training
- Simplifying procedures
- Elevating safety and quality culture
In addition to the blown-off door panel, the hyper-focus on
Boeing comes after two 737 MAX 8 planes crashed six years ago, killing 346
people. The crashes were caused by an error with a new software system which
resulted in uncontrolled nosedives.
In July 2024, Boeing announced that Ortberg was elected by
the board to serve as the company's new
president and chief executive officer. He succeeded Dave Calhoun, who served
as Boeing's president and CEO since January 2020.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
