With protesters in the audience, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun arrives to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations to answer to lawmakers about troubles at the aircraft manufacturer since a panel blew out of a Boeing 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
Calhoun sat at the witness table and fidgeted with his eyeglasses as Blumenthal spoke. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., thanked the CEO for coming to face “tough questions.” Before giving his prepared opening statement, Calhoun stood and faced the people in the audience holding poster-sized photos of some of the 346 people who died in the 2018 and 2019 crashes.
A Boeing spokesperson said the company got the subcommittee report late Monday night and was reviewing the claims. “We continuously encourage employees to report all concerns as our priority is to ensure the safety of our airplanes and the flying public,” the spokesperson said.
“Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress,” Calhoun said in the prepared remarks. “We are taking comprehensive action today to strengthen safety and quality.”a whistleblower