The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed mandatory inspections of passenger seats on 453 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in the United States after reports that some seat assemblies may have been installed incorrectly.The FAA said improperly installed seat assemblies could disengage from the seat tracks during turbulence or an emergency landing, potentially injuring passengers and crew or blocking the aisle and delaying evacuation, reported Reuters. “This 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,” it added.The proposed airworthiness directive, issued on Monday, follows a report that some passenger seat assemblies were not correctly secured in the seat tracks. The agency said each aircraft could have up to 69 track-mounted passenger seat assemblies, with inspections and corrective work expected to take about one hour per seat assembly without requiring replacement parts.A Boeing spokesrperson said in an email that, “We support the FAA making that guidance mandatory.”The directive applies only to US-registered aircraft, although aviation regulators in other countries often adopt similar FAA safety measures when applicable. The FAA has not yet specified a deadline for airlines to complete the inspections.The move comes as Boeing continues efforts to improve manufacturing quality under CEO Kelly Ortberg following heightened regulatory scrutiny after a door plug panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX during flight in early 2024.A Boeing spokesperson said the company had already issued guidance to airlines on the issue in December 2025 and supports the FAA’s decision to make those recommendations mandatory.
