Why Boeing’s Problems with the 737 MAX Began More Than 25 Years Ago
HBS Working KnowledgeJan 24
Boeing 737 Accidents in Senegal, Turkey Raise Safety Concerns
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The Facts
On Thursday, a chartered Air Senegal Boeing 737-300 skidded off the runway during takeoff in Dakar, injuring 10 people. The same day, a Corendon Airlines 737-800 in Turkey needed to be evacuated after its tires burst during landing.
These are the latest in a series of high-profile safety incidents that have plagued Boeing. In response, the US Federal Aviation Authority in February gave the company 90 days to come up with a plan to fix quality and safety issues.
The Spin
Narrative A
Boeing, once a company with a sterling safety record, has undergone a pernicious shift that puts profit over people. The culture of engineering excellence that once made Boeing a trusted name has given way to profiteering at the expense of quality control and safety. Hundreds have died in Boeing crashes in recent years for the sake of short-term profits.
Narrative B
Boeing has shouldered all of the blame for incidents that could be due to operator error and negligence, with the narrative of corporate greed falling apart upon closer inspection. A focus on competition and profit since the '70s has led to aircrafts becoming safer overall, with outside pressures and fluke accidents leading to the witch hunt against the plane maker.