FAA Proposes 453 Boeing 737 MAX Seat Inspections as Misinstalled Rows Could Block Evacuations
Updated
Updated · KABC-TV · Jul 29
FAA Proposes 453 Boeing 737 MAX Seat Inspections as Misinstalled Rows Could Block Evacuations
3 articles · Updated · KABC-TV · Jul 29
Summary
453 US-registered Boeing 737 MAX jets could face FAA-mandated seat inspections after regulators warned some seats may have been installed incorrectly.
Incorrectly fitted seats could come loose in an emergency landing, injure passengers or crew, and block aisles, slowing an evacuation, the FAA said.
Boeing said it issued guidance to operators in December 2025 and supports the FAA making that guidance mandatory.
The proposal applies only to US-registered aircraft, though foreign regulators often mirror FAA actions; about 823 MAX jets operate in the US and nearly 2,300 worldwide.
The move adds to prolonged scrutiny of Boeing after the January 2024 Alaska Airlines MAX 9 panel blowout and a June 2025 NTSB finding that Boeing's training, guidance and oversight were inadequate.