The Federal Aviation Administration has given Boeing a strict deadline of 90 days to produce a plan to address serious quality and safety issues. This demand came after a day-long meeting between FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker and Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun on Tuesday. The FAA's directive follows a year-long probe that found a "disconnect" between Boeing executives and employees regarding safety concerns.

The FAA's decision to require an action plan from Boeing came after a recent audit discovered critical bolts were missing from a Boeing 737 Max 9 door plug, which blew open mid-flight. The plan must address weaknesses in implementing Boeing's Safety Management System (SMS) and integrating it with another quality program. Despite recent revisions to the SMS manual, many Boeing employees were found to lack knowledge of the program's purpose and procedures.

Previously, a panel had recommended Boeing address safety concerns within six months, but the FAA's new directive sets a quicker timeline for improvements. The FAA emphasized that Boeing's plan should result in a significant shift in manufacturing quality control.

Boeing has faced safety issues in the past, with the recent blowout incident on January 5 prompting a 19-day grounding of all Max 9 planes. This incident revived concerns about Boeing's safety practices following fatal crashes involving the Max 8 aircraft in 2018 and 2019.