Secretary Antony Blinken Faces Critical Boeing 737 Failure Leaving Davos, Forced to Change Aircraft

Secretary of State Antony Blinken faced an unexpected turn of events as his return journey from Davos took an unforeseen detour due to a reported critical failure related to an oxygen leak on his Boeing 737. Blinken, along with his entourage, had initially boarded the modified Boeing 737 jet in Zurich after participating in a day and a half of meetings at the global summit in Davos. However, the aircraft encountered issues post-boarding, prompting the traveling party to deplane.

According to sources from the traveling press, a new and smaller aircraft was being dispatched for Secretary Blinken, while several members of the traveling party were set to return to Washington via commercial flights. State Department spokesperson Matt Miller addressed the situation, confirming that the plane experienced a mechanical issue. He assured that despite the setback, Secretary Blinken was still expected to arrive in Washington later that evening and redirected further inquiries to the US Air Force.

This incident adds to the recent challenges faced by Boeing, once renowned for its impeccable reputation but now grappling with a tarnished image. Earlier in January, an Alaska Airlines jet suffered a door plug blowout shortly after takeoff, resulting in a gaping hole in the aircraft’s side at 16,000 feet. While no serious injuries occurred, all 737 Max 9 jets were temporarily grounded as airlines conducted inspections to identify potential faulty assembly and missing bolts. Boeing’s CEO, Dave Calhoun, acknowledged a mistake on Boeing’s part that contributed to the incident.

It’s important to note that the Alaska Airlines plane involved in the earlier incident is a more recent version of the 737 than the one intended for Secretary Blinken’s use. The latter is an older model adapted for military purposes. However, the 737 Max, a newer iteration, has faced a series of serious problems predating the Alaska Air occurrence.

The 737 Max endured two fatal crashes in 2018 (Indonesia) and early 2019 (Ethiopia), claiming the lives of all 346 occupants and resulting in a 20-month grounding. Boeing undertook corrective measures to address the design flaw responsible for the crashes. Even after returning to service, the 737 Max encountered additional quality issues. In December, Boeing urged airlines to inspect all 737 Max jets for potential loose bolts in the rudder system, a critical component for in-flight control, following the discovery of a potential problem on two aircraft.

Boeing’s challenges extended to other aircraft models as well. The 787 Dreamliner faced a halt in deliveries due to quality concerns, and the 777 jet experienced temporary grounding after instances of engine failure that led to debris falling over Denver.

In the context of Secretary Blinken’s situation, the incident highlights broader concerns about aircraft safety and the need for ongoing diligence in addressing mechanical issues to ensure the well-being of passengers and the reliability of air travel.