The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a stern directive to Boeing, giving the aircraft manufacturer 90 days to come up with a plan to fix quality problems and meet safety standards after a panel blew off a brand-new Boeing 737 Max jetliner last month. The FAA's demand for a "comprehensive action plan" follows meetings between FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker and top Boeing officials, including CEO David Calhoun, at FAA headquarters in Washington. Whitaker emphasized that Boeing must commit to "real and profound improvements" and that the agency will hold them accountable every step of the way.

The incident involving the Alaska Airlines 737 Max that suffered a door-panel blowout on Jan. 5 has raised scrutiny of Boeing to its highest level since the two crashes of Boeing 737 Max jets in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. The FAA is currently completing an audit of assembly lines at the factory near Seattle, where investigators found that bolts were missing after repair work at the Boeing factory.

Boeing has stated that they have a clear picture of what needs to be done to address the systemic quality-control issues. The company is expected to mature its Safety Management System (SMS) program and integrate it with a Quality Management System to ensure safety is the guiding principle. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has expressed the company's commitment to meeting the challenge and making the necessary changes.

The FAA's crackdown on Boeing comes as the US Justice Department is still investigating the door blowout incident, determining whether it constitutes a breach of the government's 2021 deferred-prosecution agreement with the company. If prosecutors find that Boeing is criminally liable, the company could face further consequences.

In response to the FAA's directive, Boeing has replaced the executive overseeing the 737 Max program and announced increased inspections at the 737 plant in Renton, Washington. The company is under pressure to address the safety issues and make significant improvements to its quality-control processes.