In a recent development, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has decided to put a hold on Boeing's planned expansion of its 737 Max aircraft production. However, the FAA has also given the green light for the manufacturer's Max 9 planes to return to service, nearly three weeks after a door plug blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker emphasized that this decision does not signify a return to business as usual for Boeing. The FAA will not approve any requests for production expansion or additional production lines for the 737 Max until they are satisfied that the quality control issues exposed during recent events have been adequately resolved.

Boeing, yet to respond to the FAA's announcement, experienced a decline of approximately 4% in after-hours trading following the news. The company had been working tirelessly to increase the output of their best-selling aircraft to meet the demand from airlines, as they strive to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Alongside this decision, the FAA has also approved inspection instructions for the Max 9 aircraft. Airlines have eagerly awaited this approval to conduct fleet reviews and subsequently return these planes to service. The grounding of the 737 Max 9 planes had compelled United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, the two U.S. carriers with these aircraft, to cancel numerous flights.

The door panel incident that occurred during Flight 1282 departing from Portland, Oregon on January 5th led to the grounding of the Max 9 planes. This event has resulted in frustration among United and Alaska CEOs, who have expressed dissatisfaction with Boeing. The incident represents the most severe issue in a series of apparent manufacturing flaws found on Boeing aircraft. The affected aircraft was delivered to Alaska Airlines late last year.

The FAA is currently investigating Boeing's production lines following the incident on the Alaska flight. Whitaker has assured that the FAA will maintain a presence at Boeing's factory until they are confident in the effectiveness of the quality assurance systems. The agency plans to adopt a "direct inspection" approach with Boeing going forward.

As the aviation industry continues to face challenges in the wake of the pandemic, the FAA's decision brings both cautious relief and a reminder that safety remains the utmost priority. The scrutiny on Boeing's production processes underscores the necessity for rigorous quality control measures to ensure the safety and reliability of commercial aircraft.