Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to Step Down Amid Safety Crisis
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will step down at the end of this year as the company faces a deepening crisis over its safety record. The announcement comes as Boeing’s commercial airlines division head, Stan Deal, will retire immediately and the chairman, Larry Kellner, will not stand for re-election. These leadership changes come in the wake of an incident in January when an unused door blew out of a Boeing 737 Max shortly after take-off. While no one was injured, the incident raised concerns about the company’s safety and quality control standards.
Analysts have long argued that a change in Boeing’s leadership was overdue. Stewart Glickman, an equity analyst at CFRA Research, believes that the current crisis is rooted in the firm’s corporate culture and can only be fixed with fresh insight. Glickman asserts that changing the culture requires new voices and perspectives, as the company’s current approach has been in place for too long.
Dave Calhoun took over as Boeing’s CEO in early 2020 following the ousting of the previous boss, Dennis Muilenburg, in the aftermath of two fatal accidents involving the 737 Max planes. These accidents claimed the lives of 346 passengers and crew members and exposed flaws in Boeing’s flight control software. At the time, Calhoun promised to strengthen Boeing’s “safety culture” and “rebuild trust.”
However, in January of this year, another safety incident occurred when a disused emergency exit door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max shortly after take-off. An investigation revealed that the door had not been securely attached to the aircraft, leading to concerns about Boeing’s manufacturing quality control processes.
Boeing’s safety crisis has not only damaged its reputation but has also caused disruptions in the travel industry. The company’s manufacturing lines have slowed down to address the problems, resulting in delayed aircraft deliveries for airlines like Ryanair. Additionally, Boeing is now facing a criminal investigation into the January incident and potential legal action from passengers aboard the affected plane.
The implications of Boeing’s safety crisis extend beyond the company