Former Boeing Manager Walks Off Flight After Realizing It Was A 737 MAX 9

While the world was shocked to see the door of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX burst in mid-

flight

earlier this year, a

former

senior Boeing executive had already determined in advance that he would never set foot in the aircraft family again. . With a keen sense of the issues surrounding the aircraft type, Ed Pierson said he abandoned a

flight

to Alaska in 2023 after discovering it was operated by a 737 MAX 9. The reputation of the MAX series has certainly been tainted for years , but the latest incident has caused greater concern among passengers. Pierson is among other travelers who have since decided never to fly on the plane;

However, his choice was made long before the door stopper debacle of 2024. As reported by CNN, Pierson was preparing to fly to Newark Liberty International Airport from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in March 2023. Knowing that he did not want traveling on a MAX aircraft, intentionally booked a flight scheduled to be operated by a different aircraft. aircraft, either the 737-800 or the -900ER, which you may know are variants of the 737NG series. However, Alaska must have changed the flight equipment at the last minute. Speaking to CNN, Pierson recalled the moment he boarded his flight and realized he was on a MAX 9. “I got to the airport and double-checked that it wasn't the Max.

I went through security and had coffee. I got on the plane and thought: this is something new. Then I sat down and on the emergency card it said it was a Max.” At that point, Pierson says he got up and left the plane, meeting a crew member at the door. “A flight attendant was closing the front door. I said, "I wasn't supposed to fly the Max." She said to me, "What do you know about the Max?" I said, "I can't go into details right now, but I wasn't planning on it." flying the Max and I want to get off the plane.'” After chatting with Alaska staff, Pierson finally arrived at his destination after being rebooked on a red-eye flight operated by a different aircraft that night.

He didn't mind waiting hours either, as he told CNN it was worth skipping the MAX to spend the day at the Seattle Tacoma airport. Pierson spent a decade working at Boeing, serving three years as a senior

manager

of the 737 program in Renton, Washington. Working on the project before its launch, he knows the MAX and isn't ashamed to say the plane is unsafe. While at Boeing, Pierson says on his website that his appointment "raised concerns to his supervisors about the dangerously unstable production environment and risks to aircraft safety." Before the two fatal crashes involving the MAX 8 in 2018 and 2019, Pierson also recommended Boeing leaders shut down production, but he says he was ignored.

Pierson is now the Executive Director of the Aviation Safety Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to informing the public about critical issues related to aviation safety. The foundation closely monitors the industry and necessary government agencies that regulate aviation. What do you think of Pierson's story? Let us know by leaving a comment! In addition to our daily YouTube videos, Simple Flying publishes over 150 articles each week. If you're looking for the latest aviation news and insights, visit Simple Flying.com.