8 incidents in 2 weeks: what’s going on with United’s planes?

An engine fire fueled by plastic packaging filma lost tape shortly after takeoff and a plane deviates from the runway: These are among eight incidents that have occurred on flights operated by United Airlines in the past two weeks. Although no injuries — or worse — have been reported, the accidents have made headlines and fueled growing concerns about aviation safety among federal officials and passengers.

All of the incidents took place in the United States, and five involved planes made by Boeing, a manufacturer already under intense scrutiny. In January, a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet in flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing.

United, one of the largest airlines in the world, flies aircraft mainly manufactured by Boeing and Airbus. In an email that United began sending to customers on Monday, the company’s CEO, Scott Kirby, wrote that while the recent incidents were unrelated, they were “reminders of the importance of safety.”

“I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus,” he continued, adding that each case was being reviewed by the airline and would impact its safety training and procedures.

Here’s what travelers need to know about the latest airline problems.

What exactly happened on or with the planes?

Most incidents reported in the past two weeks required emergency landings or diversions.

Are the recent problems typical or cause for concern?

The accidents were not the result of “systemic problems,” said Robert Sumwalt, former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board who now heads a new aviation safety center at Embry-Riddle Aviation University.

“Some of these issues are things that happen occasionally but often go unreported in the media,” Mr. Sumwalt said, although he emphasized that none were acceptable.

Kyra Dempsey, who writes about it aviation accidents said in a blog called Admiral Cloudberg that United’s recent problems were “wrongly conflated with Boeing’s problems.”

“While it is unlucky that United has had so many incidents in such a short period, in general such incidents happen frequently around the world and are generally not on the rise,” Ms Dempsey said.

How have United responded?

Mr. Kirby’s 270-word message to United customers, including members of the airline’s frequent flyer program, was sent Monday morning, said Josh Freed, a United spokesman.

Starting in May, United’s pilots will receive an extra day of personal training, a change that was planned before the incidents, Mr. Kirby wrote. The airline will also utilize a “centralized training curriculum for our new maintenance technicians” and commit additional resources to the airline’s supply chain.

Which government agencies oversee these issues, and how do they respond?

The Federal Aviation Administration regulates the nation’s aviation system and investigates safety incidents at U.S. airlines, while the NTSB investigates the causes of accidents, collisions and crashes involving U.S. airline aircraft, among other accidents involving commercial and mass transit companies. Both agencies have discretion over what they investigate, Mr. Sumwalt said.

The NTSB is currently investigating the incident that occurred on March 8 in Houston when the plane went off the runway, an agency spokesperson said. The NTSB is also investigating a Feb. 10 Flight from Los Angeles to Newark, operated by United, which experienced severe turbulence, resulting in injuries to more than a dozen passengers. (The Boeing 777 landed normally, but the flight was met by medical personnel.)

Safety experts said some issues don’t necessarily rise to the level of an investigation by either agency.

For example, partial loss of some of an aircraft’s multiple hydraulic systems is common, says Michael McCormick, an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and former FAA control tower operator. The FAA may or may not get involved in these types of issues unless there is a pattern, Mr. Sumwalt said.

The January episode involving the door plug on the Alaska Airlines plane is under investigation by the NTSB and the Department of Justice.

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