Alaska Airline grounding leads to flight cancellations across the US

On Friday evening, Alaska Airlines flight 1282 experienced an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon, after a section of the Boeing 737 Max 9 jet was blown off mid-flight. The incident has prompted additional flight groundings spanning multiple airlines.

According to the New York Times, a hole the size of a door was torn open on the side of the jetliner during the emergency landing. No serious injuries were reported.

In response, Alaska Airlines quickly grounded all 65 of its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft for close inspection by mechanics. The Federal Aviation Administration has since ordered a temporary grounding of the affected planes in other airlines' fleets.

Hundreds of planes owned by Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and other airlines were affected by this order. This incident has added new concerns about the safety of this aircraft model, which has faced several problems and multiple fatal crashes in recent years.

According to National Safety Transportation Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, a plug on one of the unneeded emergency doors tore off during the flight while the aircraft was at an altitude of about 16,000 feet. This led to the hole in the side of the aircraft.

The cause of the malfunction is under investigation by aircraft professionals, with plans to review the plane's construction, pressurization system, and maintenance records.

According to NBC, over 200 United Airlines and 140 Alaska Airlines flights were canceled Monday in response to the incident. Affected airports include O’Hare International Airport, Denver International, and Seattle-Tacoma international.