Worried to see duct tape (duct tape) glued to the wings of the plane he was taking, a passenger took a photo and posted it to his Twitter account, wondering if he was really safe.
It was an Australian opera singer who shared the rather concerning snapshot of the boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
“When choosing your preferred airline, choose wisely. Profits before safety,” reads his post, which he also shared on Reddit.
If many have jokingly wondered if the adhesive tape was used to keep the plane in one piece, the reasons for its use are very different.
According to an ABC News fact-checking report, the duct tape is used to cover peeling paint, reports the New York Post.
Airplanes Boeing 787-9 have been identified as prone to having problems with paint due to UV rays, says a 2020 report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Peeling paint on the wings of the Boeing 787 in service for more than four years is not uncommon, and airlines around the world are experiencing this problem.
The seemingly widespread problem was downplayed by the Boeing Company, which tried to ease travelers’ concerns about the aircraft’s structural integrity.
The paint issue “does not affect the structural integrity of the wing or impact flight safety,” a Boeing spokesperson told the publication.
Aircraft manufacturer Airbus has also been hit with paint peeling problems on its A350.