In yet another incident highlighting safety concerns, a United Airlines flight bound for Paris had to make an emergency landing in Denver due to engine trouble. This marks the 14th time this month that a United Airlines plane has faced safety issues requiring investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
United Airlines has been informed by regulators that they will be closely monitoring the company’s procedures following this recent spate of safety incidents. Sasha Johnson, United’s vice president of corporate safety, communicated this in a memo to the company’s staff earlier this month, stating that the FAA would be reviewing their work processes, manuals, and facilities more rigorously in the coming weeks.
The airplane involved in this incident is an older Boeing 777, just like numerous other accidents this month. United Airlines has been aiming to retire its aged fleet of 777 and 767 aircraft since the airline’s introduction almost thirty years ago. However, the delays in receiving new Boeing aircraft—particularly the 737 Max 10s of the future generation—have made these goals more challenging. The new aircraft’s arrival is currently being delayed further by Boeing’s ongoing 737 Max 9 issues.
United’s chief commercial officer, Andrew Nocella, said on a call for earnings in October that the company’s expansion ambitions for 2024 had been impacted by these delays. Owing to the challenges posed by Boeing’s delays in delivering new planes, United Airlines was obliged to halt pilot hiring and revise its growth projections.
Despite these challenges, United Airlines remains committed to ensuring the safety of all of its passengers, and it will continue to work closely with law enforcement to address any issues that may arise.