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On April 2, 2025, Boeing's CEO Kelly Ortberg addressed U.S. senators regarding the company's progress in improving manufacturing safety practices. This followed several notable incidents, including the previous year's door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight. Ortberg, who took over as CEO last August, was questioned by the Senate Commerce Committee on how Boeing plans to prevent similar safety issues in the future.
Senator Ted Cruz, chairman of the committee, expressed a desire for Boeing's success and emphasized the importance of aviation safety. He welcomed feedback from both the company's leadership and factory employees, maintaining "an open door" policy. Ortberg recognized Boeing's past mistakes and highlighted the company's commitment to safety through "sweeping changes" in people, processes, and structure.
Ortberg also addressed discussions with the Justice Department regarding Boeing's intention to revise its guilty plea on a federal fraud charge related to the Boeing 737 MAX program. Originally, Boeing agreed to a plea deal that involved paying $487 million and installing a corporate monitor, but a federal judge rejected the deal. A new trial is set for June 23, pending a revised agreement. Ortberg stated, "We're in the process right now of going back with the DOJ and coming up with an alternate agreement."
