阿拉斯加航空從俄勒岡州波特蘭起飛的波音 737 Max 9 飛機在空中窗戶爆裂後停飛

Alaska Airlines made the decision to ground all of its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft late on Friday. This decision was made hours after a window and a piece of the fuselage on one of these planes blew out mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.

The incident occurred shortly after take-off, with a gaping hole causing the cabin to depressurise. Flight data indicated that the plane ascended to 16,000 feet (4,876 metres) before returning to Portland International Airport. The airline confirmed that the plane landed safely, carrying 174 passengers and six crew members.

'Following tonight’s event on Flight 1282, we have decided to take the precautionary step of temporarily grounding our fleet of 65 Boeing 737-9 aircraft,' stated Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci. He expressed his sympathy for the passengers, saying, 'My heart goes out to those who were on this flight – I am so sorry for what you experienced. ' Each aircraft will be returned to service after undergoing full maintenance and safety inspections, which Minicucci anticipates will be completed within days.