Ahmedabad plane crash: Issues that have plagued troubled planemaker Boeing in recent years

Boeing has been in the news recently for reasons that the premier aircraft manufacturer would not like to be associated with.

In a devastating incident, Air India's flight AI-171 bound for London with 242 people aboard crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon.

The Boeing 787 aircraft, tail number VT-ANB, departed from Runway 23 at 1:39 p.m. IST (8:09 UTC). Air traffic control reported receiving a "Mayday" call from the aircraft before all communication was lost. The plane fell to the ground outside the airport perimeter immediately after departure, with heavy black smoke seen rising from the crash site, the DGCA said.

Boeing has been in the news recently for reasons that the premier aircraft manufacturer would not like to be associated with. Not only has it struggled to cope with a safety and quality control crisis, it has lost billions of dollars following a strike by workers that paralysed production at two of its biggest factories.

Crashes and the 737 Max

Issues plaguing Boeing appeared ever so magnified when an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX faced an emergency in January 2024 after one of its doors blew open mid-air, minutes after take-off.

The plane, a brand-new Boeing 737 Max operated by Alaska Airlines, had taken off minutes earlier and was climbing when something went badly wrong. What made the incident stand out was the fact that the 737 Max was Boeing's newest aircraft and its bestselling model in history.

In late 2018, an aircraft went down in the sea off the coast of Indonesia. Four months later another plane crashed minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. A total of 346 people were killed.

Both accidents were ultimately blamed on a poorly designed piece of flight control software. This had been fitted to address handling quirks on the new plane, and prevent pilots, who were used to earlier versions of the 737, from needing expensive retraining.

When regulators grounded all Max jets

Regulators around the world grounded all Max jets in March 2019, after the second crash. That led to the ousting of Boeing's CEO. His successor announced plans to step down after the Federal Aviation Administration grounded a particular model of the Max in January, when a panel covering an unused emergency exit blew off an Alaska Airlines Max in flight.

When Boeing faced criticism over its corporate culture

The company faced criticism over its corporate culture. A congressional report released in September 2020 found that Boeing's rush to build new aircraft as quickly as possible while cutting costs had "jeopardised the safety of the flying public" – although its findings were described as "partisan" by one leading Republican.

Airbus versus Boeing: the fallout

All of this came at a time when the aerospace giant was already struggling financially. In the first nine months of 2024 it racked up losses of nearly $8bn (£6.3bn). As a result, it set out plans to cut 17,000 jobs, or a tenth of its workforce. Boeing's problems have taken a heavy toll on its business. Where once it went toe to toe with its European rival Airbus, it has now delivered fewer aircraft in each of the past five years.

Why popular airlines prefer Boeing 787?

Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, is a mid-size, twin-engine, wide-body jet airliner. Known for its fuel efficiency, comfortable passenger experience, and innovative design features like large windows with electronic dimming, the aircraft first took flight on December 15, 2009.

About 50 per cent of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner’s primary structure is made from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, making it lighter and more fuel-efficient. It uses raked wingtips and smoother nose contours for better airflow and less drag.

It is equipped with the largest windows of any commercial jet, each featuring electronic dimming controls for enhanced views and reduced glare. Apart from this, it has adjustable lighting that simulates natural light patterns, helping passengers adjust to different time zones and reducing jet lag. Also, advanced noise-reducing technologies result in a quieter cabin environment, enhancing overall passenger comfort.