As much as I would like to dogpile on Boeing right now, that particular airplane has been in operation since 2015. This would likely be Southwest maintenance issues rather than Boeing.
ATC recording from VasAviation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBQkk4RcidA
Another Boeing incidence. There should be a statistics page somewhere where incidences are marked on some graph or chart showing engine manufacturers airplane manufacturers airlines etc. if any exist would like to see such a page.
This is most certainly a maintenance issue, not a production issue since this a part that is often temporarily removed.
Not trying to defend boeing but please be aware that these incidents are somewhat common and are currently being disproportionally reported due their relevance of past events.
Previously discussed and flagged: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39963776
Comment which I Favorited: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39964702
> We all know the Baader–Meinhof / frequency illusion, which is where something becomes interesting to an observer so suddenly they notice things that were always there, but because they suddenly notice it seems there has been some massive increase in frequency.
> What is it when something gets into the zeitgeist narrative so every possible instance is widely reported on in a way that it wasn't before? Parts have always been flying off planes, and there have always been maintenance issues, but suddenly every single one is reported making it feel like it's some sudden outbreak. In the same way we're hearing about every boat hitting something when boats have always been hitting things, it just didn't have a context under which it was newsworthy.
Internalize this, I am trying to as well. This is one of the points of HN-worthy discussion.
Maybe they should do some more stock buybacks and then ask the fed for a bailout.
Boeing are a welfare company - they would not exist without their close relationship with the government and the taxpayer dollars that are funnelled to them.
Competent competition would eat them alive, if competition were permissible in the land of the free (for some, not for you) markets.
Poor Boeing. They just can't catch a break...
2̶7̶ 0 days since last boeing-falling-apart incident.
(2019) "On October 14, Southwest Airlines (SWA) flew an empty aircraft to San Salvador at El Salvador International Airport in order to accomplish a heavy maintenance check on that aircraft. A heavy maintenance check is the most labor-intensive check performed on an aircraft during its flying life."
https://amfanational.medium.com/southwest-airlines-begins-fo...
"Today, Southwest Airlines outsources 80 percent of all aircraft maintenance. You read that correctly [...] He said United Airlines outsources 51 percent of maintenance, Alaska Airlines farms out 49 percent, Delta hires vendors for 43 percent, and American Airlines contracts out 33 percent."
https://www.dallasnews.com/business/local-companies/2019/02/...