The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that airlines have only 10 days to inspect and replace wing parts of hundreds of Boeing jets affected by suspected faulty parts provided by an unnamed supplier.
After Boeing informed the FAA that around 148 parts provided by a supplier may be "susceptible to premature failure or cracks," company shares dropped by 0.8 percent, CNBC reported.
The figures may be a sign of recovery since the numbers were weaker over the past five months, but the aviation industry has expressed doubts and fears about the new issue. Adding to the pressure is the FAA's order to have affected Boeing jets removed or replaced due to the faulty wing slat tracks.
Over 300 Boeing 737 jets, both old and new models, are suspected to have the weak wing parts. The issue was pinpointed after a joint investigation by the FAA and the United States' leading aircraft maker.
Of the hundreds potentially affected, 179 are Boeing 737 Max jets. The others are 133 NG, and 737 NG models. It is unclear how many of the said planes are in specific airlines across the world but the FAA confirmed that 33 of the affected Max planes are currently within the U.S.
Industry analysts and airline companies have expressed dismay over the news. Many airlines are already struggling to reach aircraft quota as it is the peak season wherein many travelers go on vacation during summer.
As of June, thousands of flights have been canceled following the grounding of Boeing 737 Max planes. The grounding took place after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes in October and March that took the lives of 346 people.
The FAA has yet to hand out recertification for the grounded jets. Multiple lawsuits have also been filed following the deadly crashes. Despite the apparent chaos in the global aviation circle, company CEO Dennis Muilenburg upped expectations about the recertification.
Muilenburg revealed on Monday that Boeing 737 Max jets will receive recertification for flight " very soon ." He noted that the jet maker is expected to conduct simulator flights with air safety experts this week.
When asked to provide specific dates, Muilenburg only said he is expecting Boeing 737 Max jets to be on the air again by late 2019. The FAA has yet to confirm Muilenburg's statements.
Some industry experts previously predicted that the grounding will most likely be extended until August. However, the latest fiasco in faulty wing parts could further push the Boeing planes to be grounded for several months more.
