Two airlines find loose bolts on 737 MAX 9s during preliminary inspections

United Airlines and Alaska Airlines have discovered loose bolts and what the former terms other ‘installation issues’ as they commence preliminary inspections of their 737 MAX 9 fleets. The American carriers’ MAX 9 aircraft were grounded following an emergency airworthiness directive (EAD) issued by the FAA, after the dramatic loss of a door plug aboard an Alaskan Airlines flight caused a sudden decompression of the cabin just minutes into the flight. “The next step for carrying out the FAA’s [EAD] is for Boeing to issue a multi-operator message,” confirmed United, adding that “while those steps are being completed… we’ve begun