Sunday, Jan. 5, marks one year since a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, leaving passengers in shock and raising concerns about the safety of Boeing planes.

The flight was en route from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, when the incident occurred.

John Wilson, a traveler, recalled the terrifying moment, saying, “I was completely shocked and my heart goes out to the people that had to endure that moment of uncertainty with what was going to happen on their flight.”

In the aftermath, Boeing faced intense scrutiny over its safety and quality standards. Despite this, the company has consistently maintained that its planes are safe to fly. Some travelers, however, remain apprehensive.

“I heard they fixed the planes so it made me feel a little bit safer but I’m still a bit nervous that something bad could happen,” said Lauren Waters, another traveler.

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has previously grounded various versions of Boeing’s 737, 777, and 787 jets due to potential safety and quality issues. In response, Boeing has implemented several improvements, including enhancing its safety and quality culture, investing in workforce training, simplifying processes, and increasing inspections to eliminate defects.

Brian Jones, a traveler, expressed confidence in Boeing’s efforts, stating, “I think it’s very beneficial for the public at large because they’re such a huge company they’re sort of the anchor of our aerospace industry but they’re also major contractor for the military and NASA, so we really need companies like that to be product driven and to be results-oriented.”

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Despite the incident, some travelers continue to fly with Boeing. “I feel like it’s probably more safe now that the incident happened unfortunately I don’t really have concerns about safety when I fly now,” said Wilson.

Others, like Jones, remain cautious, noting, “Every time I get on the plane, but every time I get in a car there’s safety concerns or when I get on a train there’s safety concerns it’s just about making calculated risks in life.”

Looking ahead, some travelers are calling for increased oversight from the FAA to ensure the safety of all passengers.

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