Problems with oxygen masks?
US authority orders inspection of thousands of Boeing jets
08.07.2024, 21:54
New trouble for Boeing. The US aviation authority has announced an investigation into more than 2,600 of the manufacturer’s aircraft. The reason is possible problems with the oxygen generators on board. There are fears that the oxygen masks in the cabins may not work properly in an emergency.
The US aviation authority FAA has ordered inspections of more than 2,600 Boeing 737 aircraft due to possible problems with the oxygen supply in the event of an emergency. The airlines must check within 120 to 150 days whether the oxygen generators, which are connected to the oxygen masks via hoses, are in the correct places, the FAA said.


The agency says it is concerned that the oxygen masks might not work in an emergency. Boeing has been under heavy pressure in the US for months due to allegations of safety deficiencies in its aircraft.
According to the FAA, inspections into possible oxygen problems were required in 2,612 US-registered 737-8, -9, -8200, -700, -800 and -900ER aircraft. This means that models of both older and new generations are affected.
No temporary flight ban
The generators are connected via hoses to the oxygen masks, which fall from the ceiling above the passenger seats if the pressure in the cabin drops rapidly. Generators and masks are located in built-in elements known as PSUs (Passenger Service Units) beneath the luggage compartments. These service units also include the ventilation, lamps and loudspeakers.
The FAA said it had received information that the oxygen generators in some aircraft had slipped due to poor mounting. The agency therefore instructed the airlines to ensure that they were correctly installed “if necessary”. However, the FAA did not go so far as to impose a temporary flight ban on the affected aircraft.
Since the beginning of the year, several technical breakdowns with Boeing aircraft have caused uncertainty. In January, part of the cabin wall of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 broke off during flight and the aircraft had to make an emergency landing. The FAA then limited production of the 737 MAX to 38 per month, which is the level for 2023, and ordered a temporary flight ban.
In addition to the technical glitches, pressure on Boeing has also increased in recent months due to reports from several whistleblowers about deficiencies in production and quality control. Most recently, the company pleaded guilty in a criminal case to misleading the authorities in the run-up to two fatal 737 MAX crashes. According to the US Department of Justice, the aircraft manufacturer has also agreed to pay a fine of $243.6 million.