In the wake of the much-publicized incident involving a door plug blowing out of an Alaska Airlines flight last month, Boeing has announced a reshuffling of its leadership team. Katie Ringgold is set to replace Ed Clark as the vice president and general manager of the 737 Max program and Renton site, after the door plug fell off a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane on January 5. The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report revealed that four bolts designed to secure the door plug were missing before the incident occurred.

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun expressed accountability for the incident in an earnings call on January 31, stating, "Boeing is accountable for what happened. We simply must be better. Our customers deserve better." As part of the company's commitment to quality and safety, several leadership changes have been announced, including other shifts in leadership positions within Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency airworthiness directive on January 6, temporarily grounding over 170 Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes worldwide. Alaska Airlines resumed flights with its 737 fleet on January 26, two days after the FAA released final instructions for airlines to conduct specific inspections on their 737 Max 9 planes. The NTSB report highlighted that damaged rivets were replaced on the plane in Renton, Washington, in September 2023, shedding more light on the events leading up to the door plug incident.