Hundreds of US jets may need seat inspections following safety concerns over evacuation and injuries.
Dubai: Passengers travelling on certain Boeing 737 MAX aircraft may face additional safety inspections after US aviation regulators received a report indicating that some seat assemblies may not have been properly secured to the aircraft’s floor tracks.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new airworthiness directive for certain Boeing 737-8, 737-9 and 737-8200 aircraft, with around 453 US-registered planes estimated to be affected by the potential safety issue.
Airlines would be required to carry out detailed inspections of the fittings that attach each track-mounted passenger seat assembly to the aircraft’s left and right seat tracks. Any seats found to have been improperly installed would need to be correctly secured before further operation.
Why regulators are concerned
The FAA said the proposed action follows a report that the aft fitting shear plungers on certain passenger seats were not fully lowered or properly engaged with the seat tracks, creating a potential safety concern.
An improperly installed seat assembly could become detached when subjected to high loads, turbulence or the forces of an emergency landing, potentially causing injuries to passengers and crew.
The FAA warned that a loose seat could also shift into the aisle, creating an obstruction that may slow evacuation during an emergency.
“The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result in injury to passengers and crew during an emergency landing or could block the aisle, which could slow evacuation,” the FAA said in its proposal.
The regulator added that the same installation issue could potentially occur or develop in other aircraft featuring the same seat design.
Boeing issued guidance in December
Boeing provided operators with inspection and installation instructions in December 2025 through a special requirements bulletin addressing the affected seat assemblies.
A Boeing spokesperson said the company supports the regulator’s proposal to make the inspection guidance mandatory.
The required measures would involve checking the seat track fittings on each affected passenger seat assembly and properly securing any assemblies found to have been installed incorrectly.
Compliance deadlines linked to Boeing’s December guidance
The deadline for completing the inspections would follow the schedule outlined in Boeing’s December 2025 bulletin, with the inspection timeframe calculated from the effective date of the final FAA directive.
FAA estimates inspection costs could reach $2.66 million for US operators
The FAA estimates that inspecting each seat assembly would take approximately one hour of labour, costing $85 per assembly, with no additional parts required.
Aircraft layouts differ, but the regulator estimates that each affected aircraft could contain up to 69 track-mounted passenger seat assemblies. Based on these figures, the total cost of inspections for US operators could reach $2.66 million.
If inspectors identify incorrectly installed seat assemblies, the required corrective work would involve an additional hour of labour, costing up to $85 per affected seat, with no expected parts costs.
The FAA said it could not estimate how many aircraft would need corrective action, as the number would depend on the findings from the inspections.
The regulator added that some or all of the costs may be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, potentially reducing the financial impact on affected airlines.
