In this episode, Charlotte Baris looks back on the decline of this aerospace giant with Julie Thoin-Bousquié, reporter in the economics department of L’Express and expert on industrial issues.
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The team: Charlotte Baris (presentation), Léa Bertrand (writing), Jules Krot (editing and production)
Credits: TV5 Monde, France Info, CNews, TF1, Les Echos, BFMTV
Music and dressing: Emmanuel Herschon/Studio Torrent
Image credits: afp.com/David Ryder
Logo: Anne-Laure Chapelain/Benjamin Chazal
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Charlotte Baris: With summer vacation just a few weeks away, today I’m taking you… on a plane! Imagine yourself boarding a flight to California to enjoy your family vacation. The other passengers are finishing putting their suitcases in the overhead bins. The flight attendants are walking around the aisles to check that everyone is properly strapped in. And the flight attendant is reminding everyone of the latest safety rules over the loudspeaker. The plane is ready for takeoff.
The wheels leave the airport tarmac. But just a few minutes after taking off, a dull noise resonates in the cabin. One of the aircraft’s doors came loose, leaving a gaping hole to the outside, at an altitude of nearly 5,000 meters. Then everything happens very quickly. The wind rushes violently into the cabin. Oxygen masks fall from the ceiling. And the travelers shout in general panic. Fortunately, the plane made an emergency landing a few minutes later. And miraculously, among the 177 people on board, no casualties were reported.
This scenario, worthy of the worst disaster films, is very real. This is the story of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, which took off on January 5. The plane was a Boeing 737 MAX 9, and if I tell you this, it is because it is important in our history: this is not the first time that a Boeing has been involved in this type of accident. And for more than a decade, the American manufacturer has been experiencing economic and legal turbulence. As you will hear, Boeing’s descent into hell could well be the biggest industrial crash in the history of aviation.
For further
Boeing 737 MAX: “Manufacturers have difficulty ensuring good quality control”
Plane tickets: are we paying the real carbon price?
Boeing boss admits “seriousness” of situation before Senate committee
Boeing: the aircraft manufacturer’s “road map” to emerge from the crisis