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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 23 January 2024

Federal officials recommend that airlines inspect door plugs on

some older Boeing jets as well

WASHINGTON (AP) — The maker. The National Trans-
Federal Aviation Adminis- portation Safety Board is
tration recommends that investigating the Oregon
airlines inspect the door incident.
plugs on certain Boeing “We fully support the FAA
737s that are older than the and our customers in this
Max 9 jetliner that suffered action,” a Boeing spokes-
a blowout of a similar panel woman said in a statement
during a flight this month. Monday.
The FAA said door plugs Boeing delivered about 500
on one older version of the 737-900ERs between 2007
737, called the 737-900ER, and 2019 – mostly to three
are identical in design to U.S. airlines -- and about 380
those on the Max 9, and have door plugs instead of
some airlines “have noted exits.
findings with bolts during Alaska said Monday that it
the maintenance inspec- began inspecting its 737-
tions.” 900ERs “several days ago”
The FAA issued a safety and has turned up no is-
alert late Sunday. As soon sues. The Seattle-based air-
as possible, airlines should line, which has canceled
visually inspect four places hundreds of flights because
where a bolt, nut and pin of the Max 9 grounding,
secure the door plug to the said it expects no disruption
plane, the agency said. from the inspections of its
The door plugs are panels This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety 737-900ERs.
that seal holes left for extra Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX United said it began in-
doors when the number of in Portland, Ore. specting the earlier Boeing
seats is not enough to trig- Associated Press model last week and ex-
ger a requirement for more blowout had made only Oregon. instead of regular doors pects to finish the reviews
emergency-evacuation 145 flights. The plane made an emer- in the back of the cabin. this week with no disrup-
exits. From inside the plane, One of the two door plugs gency landing with a hole Alaska and United Airlines tions for passengers. Delta
they look like a regular win- on an Alaska Airlines Boe- in its side, and no serious are the only U.S. carriers to Air Lines, with 130 planes
dow. ing 737 Max 9 flew off the injuries were reported. On use the plane. affected by the new FAA
The FAA said that 737- plane in midflight on Jan. 5. a mostly full plane, no one Besides grounding 171 Max recommendation, said it
900ERs have logged 3.9 Passengers and investiga- was sitting in the two seats 9 jets, the FAA is investigat- was inspecting all 130 of
million flights without any tors have described a vio- nearest the panel that ing quality-control mea- its 737-900ERs and did not
known issues involving the lent decompression as air blew out. sures at Boeing and its sup- expect any impact on
door plugs. By contrast, rushed out of the pressured The FAA has grounded pliers and has increased operations.q
the Max 9 that suffered the cabin at 16,000 feet over all Max 9s with door plugs its oversight of the aircraft

Supreme Court allows federal agents to cut razor wire Texas

installed on US-Mexico border

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Abbott also has authorized federal immigration law
divided Supreme Court on installing floating barriers in trumps Texas’ own efforts
Monday allowed Border the Rio Grande near Eagle to stem the flow of migrants
Patrol agents to cut razor Pass and allowed troopers into the country.
wire that Texas installed to arrest and jail thousands Texas officials have argued
on the U.S.-Mexico border, of migrants on trespassing that federal agents cut the
while a lawsuit over the charges. The administration wire to help groups crossing
wire continues. also is challenging those illegally through the river
The justices, by a 5-4 vote, actions in federal court. before taking them in for
granted an emergency A federal appeals court processing.
appeal from the Biden last month forced federal Chief Justice John Roberts
administration, which has agents to stop cutting the and Justices Amy Coney
been in an escalating concertina wire. Large Barrett, Ketanji Brown
standoff at the border with numbers of migrants have Jackson, Elena Kagan and
Texas and had objected to crossed at Eagle Pass in Sonia Sotomayor sided with
an appellate ruling in favor recent months. the administration. Justices
of the state. In court papers, the Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch,
The concertina wire The U.S. Supreme Court is photographed through snow on administration said the Brett Kavanaugh and
along roughly 30 miles Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in Washington. wire impedes Border Patrol Clarence Thomas voted
(48 kilometers) of the Associated Press agents from reaching with Texas.
Rio Grande near the is part of Texas Gov. Greg the administration over migrants as they cross the No one provided any
border city of Eagle Pass Abbott’s broader fight with immigration enforcement. river and that, in any case, explantion for their vote.q