new Delhi. An engine fire caused by plastic packaging wrap, a tire burst shortly after takeoff and a plane skidding off the runway… these are among the eight incidents that have occurred on flights operated by United Airlines in the past two weeks.
Although no injuries were reported, the crashes made headlines and raised concerns about aviation safety among federal officials and travelers, according to the NY Times.
In January, a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner burst mid-flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing.
United, one of the world’s largest airlines, primarily flies aircraft manufactured by Boeing and Airbus. United began sending an email to customers on Monday, with company Chief Executive Scott Kirby writing that although the recent incidents were unrelated, they were a reminder of the importance of safety.
He further said, I want you to know that these incidents are our focus. He said each case is being reviewed by the airline and will impact its security training and procedures.
Here’s what travelers should know about airplane problems-
What happened with the planes?
Most of the incidents recorded over the past two weeks required emergency landings or diversions.
- March 4: A Boeing 737-900 departing from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston returned to the airport for an emergency landing after one of the aircraft’s engines went into plastic casing and burned.
- March 7: A Boeing 777 bound for Osaka, Japan from San Francisco made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport after losing a tire.
- March 8: A Boeing 737 Max 8 skidded off the runway and landed on grass while landing at Houston’s George Bush Airport.
- A flight from San Francisco to Mexico City was diverted to Los Angeles after an Airbus A320 developed a hydraulic system problem.
- March 9: An Airbus A320 headed to Salt Lake City returned to Chicago O’Hare International Airport after maintenance problems were reported.
- March 11: A Boeing 777 flying from Sydney, Australia to San Francisco returned after takeoff because the aircraft suffered a hydraulic leak.
- March 14: An Airbus A320 taking off from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport suffered a hydraulic leak shortly before landing at its scheduled destination, San Francisco.
- A Boeing 737-800 taking off from San Francisco landed at Oregon’s Rogue Valley International Medford Airport with an outer panel missing.
Are these incidents normal or a cause for concern?
Robert Sumwalt, a former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board who now heads a new aviation safety center at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said the accidents were not the result of systemic problems.
Some of these issues are ones that occur occasionally but are not often reported in the media, Mr. Sumwalt said, though he stressed that any lack of coverage is unacceptable.
Ms Dempsey said, while it is unfortunate that so many incidents have occurred at United in such a short period of time, in general such incidents occur frequently around the world and do not add up to an overall increase.
How did United respond?
Kirby’s 270-word message to United customers, including members of the airline’s frequent flyer program, was sent Monday morning, United spokesman Josh Freed said.
Starting in May, Joint pilots will have an additional day of individual training, Mr. Kirby wrote, a change that was already planned before the events. The airline will also utilize “centralized training courses for our new hire maintenance technicians” and dedicate additional resources to the carrier’s supply chain.
How did government agencies respond?
The Federal Aviation Administration regulates the nation’s aviation system and investigates safety incidents on U.S. airlines, Mr. Sumwalt said, while the N.T.S.B. Investigates the causes of crashes, collisions, and accidents involving aircraft flown by U.S. carriers, in addition to other accidents involving commercial and mass transit operators. Both agencies have discretion over what they investigate.
Currently, the N.T.S.B. An agency spokesman said it was investigating the March 8 incident in Houston, when the plane skidded off the runway
