To the editor: After the latest problem with a 737 Max airliner, it's clear that the problem at manufacturer Boeing Co. is management. (“'Truly terrifying': Investigators describe explosion aboard Alaska Airlines flight,” Jan. 5)
The early 737 Max disasters were caused by the company putting financing before product, and this problem is the same. This is how American auto companies went bankrupt.
Senior management must be in love with the product before the final result. The only businesses that should be run by money guys are monetary businesses like banks.
I am a retired accountant. We are good at many things, but not so much at “the vision.”
Paul Malykont, The Bears
..
To the editor: In the Alaska Airlines near-disaster, a fuselage plug where a door was designed exploded during flight. Why not simply force Boeing and the airlines to install fully functioning emergency doors and slides on all doors, regardless of passenger capacity?
It's simple: the more emergency exits, the faster passengers will get out in a crisis. The goal of evacuating a plane in 90 seconds should be an upper limit rather than a target.
“Too expensive” is not a viable excuse to avoid doing this, when lives and the structural integrity of the aircraft are at stake. The additional fractional cost per plane is trivial compared to ensuring passenger safety and confidence.
David Pieri, La Crescenta
