US transportation head Sean Duffy summons Boeing CEO Ortberg to Washington DC

The new United States (US) Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy has “requested” that Boeing CEO and President Kelly Ortberg join him in Washington DC for talks.  

In a social media post on February 13, 2025, Secretary Duffy said he wants to speak with Ortberg “as soon as possible” regarding “steps the company is taking to address its quality and safety issues”. 

Secretary Duffy has asked for a “full account” from the US planemaker’s leader, who joined Boeing in August 2024 following the departure of his predecessor Dave Calhoun. 

“Following that,” Secretary Duffy said. “I will visit Boeing myself to evaluate firsthand the measures being implemented to ensure its planes meet the highest safety standards.” 

Secretary Duffy was selected as the DOT head by President Donald Trump more than a year after a door plug separated from an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX on January 5, 2024. 

I’ve requested that the Boeing CEO come to D.C. as soon as possible to provide a full accounting of the steps the company is taking to address its quality and safety issues. Following that, I will visit Boeing myself to evaluate firsthand the measures being implemented to ensure…— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 13, 2025 Once Alaska Airlines had grounded its entire fleet, questions over safety and quality at Boeing were raised and an audit of the company was carried out by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

In March 2024, the FAA said that during its audit it had found “multiple instances where the companies allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements”.   

It also identified “non-compliance issues” across Boeing’s manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control.     

The FAA has adopted a tough approach towards Boeing by increasing oversight and limiting production of 737 MAX jets to 38 a month.  

After Secretary Duffy was sworn in, he pledged to maintain the cap on Boeing 737 MAX production and “usher in a golden age of transportation”. 

Secretary Duffy will no doubt be asking Ortberg for a complete run down of where Boeing currently stands and how long it will take to return to pre-January 2024 production levels without compromising safety and quality. 

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