A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 arrives at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on January 20, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Kevin Carter | Getty Images
A Southwest Airlines flight returned to Denver International Airport Sunday morning after a Boeing engine cowl fell off the plane and hit the wing flap during takeoff, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The Boeing 737-800 plane was en route to William P. Hobby Airport in Houston. Southwest said customers on the flight were transferred to a different plane and were scheduled to arrive at their destination three hours late.
In response to a request for comment, Boeing referred to Southwest's statement.
“Our maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft,” Southwest said.
The aircraft malfunction comes in the name of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He achieves Southwest for a separate incident in March. In that incident, a Southwest flight veered off course and flew close to the air traffic control tower at LaGuardia Airport while trying to land in New York.
Meanwhile, Boeing is caught up in intense regulatory scrutiny following an incident in January when a door on its plane exploded in the middle of an Alaska Airlines flight.
The company's quality control problems have escalated into safety concerns for both Boeing and airlines like Southwest, which use its planes.
Boeing deliveries have slowed in recent months, and the FAA's long-awaited 737 MAX 10 is facing continuing delays. The company's CEO, Dave Calhoun, announced last March that he would step down from his position, along with several other management changes.
Both Southwest and United Airlines said Boeing's problems affected their own businesses, forcing them to cut flights and hiring.
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