Boeing has received more than six times as many tips from employees versus a year ago following an increased focus on production quality after a door plug dislodged into the sky on a Boeing flight out of Portland, Oregon.
Outgoing chief executive Dave Calhoun told the shareholders’ meeting on Friday about the sharp rise in reporting to an internal website for confidential reports.
In January a nearly brand new Boeing 737-9 Max operated by Alaska Airlines lost a door plug while climbing after leaving the airport in the northwestern state. A high school teacher west of the airport found the panel in his backyard shortly after the incident.
No one was seriously injured — but by a stroke of luck, the seat next to the door plug was empty.
Boeing and Calhoun have been criticized for the Alaska Airlines incident and their handling of errors in production.
Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Association, or FAA, which regulates aviation in the United States, demanded an action plan within three months. Calhoun said Boeing is close to finishing that plan.
The executive said he will retire at the end of this year. The company is still looking for a successor, said Steve Mollenkopf, chairman of the board of directors.
Still, Calhoun was reelected to the board of directors and the shareholders also approved his remuneration, which is estimated at around $32.8 million. His salary accounts for only $1.4 million of this, with more than $30 million accounted for by a company share package.
