️ The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned that seats on hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft may have been improperly installed and could require inspection.

️ The FAA said on Monday that the issue affects 453 jets registered in the United States and proposed requiring airlines to inspect the seats.

️ If not installed correctly, the seats could come loose during an emergency landing and “injure passengers and crew members”, the FAA said, adding they could also “block the aisle and slow an evacuation”.

️ The proposed order would apply only to US-registered planes as the FAA does not regulate foreign airlines. However, regulators in other countries often follow FAA orders when the issue affects aircraft operating in their markets.

️ A Boeing spokesperson told Reuters that the company had issued guidance to operators on the matter in December 2025. “We support the FAA making that guidance mandatory,” the spokesperson said in an email.

️ The warning adds to years of scrutiny of Boeing’s safety record. In January 2024, a cabin panel blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, forcing an emergency landing and prompting the FAA to ground 171 jets. Investigators later found the panel was missing four key bolts.

️ Scrutiny intensified after a spate of other accidents worldwide, as well as the death of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett in March 2024 while he was providing evidence for a safety lawsuit against the firm.

️ In June 2025, the US National Transportation Safety Board said Boeing had failed to provide adequate training, guidance and oversight to prevent the Alaska Airlines incident. There are nearly 2,300 737 MAX jets operating globally, including 823 in the US, according to aviation advisory firm IBA.

Source: www.aljazeera.com