Boeing whistleblower ‘ignored’ after flagging alleged manufacturing shortcuts

A Boeing whistleblower has claimed that he was repeatedly ignored after raising concerns about alleged manufacturing shortcuts at the airplane maker. 

Boeing is currently grappling with one of the biggest crises in its history, which was sparked in January after an emergency exit door fell off an Alaska Airlines flight midair.

Last month, Boeing announced that its chief executive Dave Calhoun will step down at the end of the year as part of a major management reshuffle in a bid to repair its reputation. 

Regulators, the US Department of Justice and the FBI are investigating the Air Alaska incident. 

Sam Salehpour, who worked at Boeing for 17 years, told US lawmakers yesterday that he first raised concerns about alleged manufacturing shortcuts back in 2020. 

“I was ignored, I was told not to create delays,” he said, adding that he was later transferred to a different role, according to one report on the hearing in the US senate. 

Watch Sam Salehpour speaking here:

He said he had studied Boeing’s own data and concluded “that the company is taking manufacturing shortcuts on the 787 programme that could significantly reduce the airplane’s safety and the life cycle,” according to another report. 

While the claims involving the Boeing 787 was not the one involved in the Alaska Airlines flight, which was a 737 MAX 9, the claims will likely pile further pressure on the company.

“We know we have more work to do and we are taking action across our company,” it said in a reported statement issued after the hearing.

The hearing took place on the same day that United Airlines blamed Boeing for a $200m (£161m) hit to its earnings after the airline was forced to ground its 737 MAX 9 fleet following the Air Alaska incident.United Airlines said that Boeing has agreed to compensate the airline.