Boeing CEO Details 'Unacceptable' Missteps in Message to Congress

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg testified on Wednesday in front of members of the United States Senate as part of a Congressional hearing following fatal crashes, assembly oversights and general mismanagement.

According to Bloomberg.com, Ortberg told members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Transportation and Science that while Boeing had made several “unacceptable” missteps, the airplane manufacturer was outlining a path forward and on the right track.

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz called for the meeting in February following increased scrutiny following a series of incidents, including a panel blowing off an Alaska Airlines 737 Boeing MAX 9 midflight last year.

“No one is more committed to turning our company around than our team,” Ortberg said. “Working together, we are focused on connecting the world, protecting our freedoms and supporting our economy.” 

“This commitment to aviation safety goes well beyond Boeing,” Ortberg continued. “It all depends on us getting this right.”

Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell spoke to Ortberg about “Boeing’s work with employees” and its “robust” safety management system, an FAA-mandated system to address risks. The new CEO told Congress that the company’s changes were focused on four main areas:

• Reducing the number of defects as aircraft move through production
• Enhancing employee training
• Simplifying procedures
• Elevating safety and quality culture

In addition to the blown-off door panel, the hyper-focus on Boeing comes after two 737 MAX 8 planes crashed six years ago, killing 346 people. The crashes were caused by an error with a new software system which resulted in uncontrolled nosedives.

In July 2024, Boeing announced that Ortberg was elected by the board to serve as the company's new president and chief executive officer. He succeeded Dave Calhoun, who served as Boeing's president and CEO since January 2020. 

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