Blumenthal Demands Answers from FAA About Proposed Inadequate Fine Against Boeing for Severe Safety Violations

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) yesterday demanded answers from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about the agency’s proposed $3.1 million fine against Boeing for persistent safety violations in the months leading up to the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 door plug accident. Earlier this month, the FAA announced the fine due to “hundreds of quality system violations” at Boeing facilities, Boeing presenting two unworthy aircraft for certification, and a Boeing employee pressuring an FAA-authorized unit member to sign off on a 737-MAX simply to meet delivery deadlines. Given these severe safety violations and the FAA’s modest fine against Boeing, Blumenthal is seeking transparency from the agency about its enforcement approach.

“These violations confirm what I and others have warned for months: Boeing’s deeply broken safety culture has prioritized production speed over safety,” Blumenthal wrote. “Yet the FAA’s proposed fine—$3.1 million—is little more than a rounding error for Boeing. The company generated nearly $39 billion in revenue just in the two quarters overlapping the time period of the violations. For Boeing, such fines are easily absorbed as the cost of doing business, not a meaningful deterrent to dangerous behavior.”

“The FAA stated that it applied its maximum statutory penalty authority. If so, that fact only underscores the inadequacy of current law. But if there was discretion in how penalties were calculated—or if reductions are likely to follow—then the FAA risks sending the message that systemic safety violations carry no serious consequences,” Blumenthal continued.

As the top Democrat on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Blumenthal has led an inquiry into Boeing’s quality and safety practices and culture. The inquiry has revealed concerning safety lapses at Boeing, including mismanagement of aircraft parts that are damaged or otherwise out of specification and manufacturing employees feeling pressured to prioritize speed over production quality.

The full text of Blumenthal’s letter is available here and below.

Dear Mr. Bedford:

On September 12, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a proposed $3.1 million fine against The Boeing Company (Boeing) for safety violations that occurred from September 2023 through February 2024. The FAA described “hundreds of quality system violations” at Boeing facilities, found Boeing presented two unworthy aircraft for certification, and reported that a Boeing employee pressured an FAA-authorized unit member to sign off on a 737-MAX simply to meet delivery deadlines. These violations confirm what I and others have warned for months: Boeing’s deeply broken safety culture has prioritized production speed over safety.

Yet the FAA’s proposed fine—$3.1 million—is little more than a rounding error for Boeing. The company generated nearly $39 billion in revenue just in the two quarters overlapping the time period of the violations. For Boeing, such fines are easily absorbed as the cost of doing business, not a meaningful deterrent to dangerous behavior. Unless penalties rise to the level that forces the company to invest in real safety reforms, the risks to the flying public will persist.

The FAA stated that it applied its maximum statutory penalty authority. If so, that fact only underscores the inadequacy of current law. But if there was discretion in how penalties were calculated—or if reductions are likely to follow—then the FAA risks sending the message that systemic safety violations carry no serious consequences.

To better understand the FAA’s enforcement approach, by October 7, 2025, please provide all correspondence between the FAA and Boeing that refers or relates to the FAA’s proposed fine, a staff briefing, and written responses addressing the following:

1. A list of each violation penalized, including the civil penalty imposed and the statutory authority;
2. An explanation of why certain violations, if any, did not receive penalties, or why penalties were set below the statutory maximum;
3. Whether the FAA anticipates reducing the proposed penalties if Boeing requests it; and
4. A description of any ongoing investigations into Boeing safety violations, including scope and expected timeline.

The public deserves confidence that fines are not token gestures, but real enforcement tools.

Sincerely,

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