Greater Bay Airlines has issued a statement to alleviate customer fears following the 5 January incident in which the door of an Alaska Airlines flight blew off inflight.
The American domestic flight was on its way from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California when one of its fuselage doors blew off at 16,000 feet (4,876 metres). The 177 passengers and crew were unharmed after the plane, a Boeing 737 Max 9, returned to Portland.
In response to the incident, the Hong-Kong-based carrier stated that it “currently operates five Boeing 737-800 aircraft, the model of which is totally different from the one involved in the incident.” The company stressed that the 737-800 model that it is using has had a “safe and sound flying record” for over 25 years.
[See more: Greater Bay Airlines cleared for take-off]
The regional airline also highlighted the safety of the 15 Boeing 737-9 planes that it ordered from the American aircraft manufacturer in March last year, which are due to begin delivery by the end of 2024.
“The part detached from the fuselage [of the Alaska Airlines flight] is completely different from the emergency exit door design of the aircraft we ordered,” the statement read.
The Alaska Airlines flight 1282 has attracted considerable media attention worldwide, stoking renewed fears for the safety of Boeing aircraft, which have been involved in a number of accidents, including two high-profile Boeing 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.
Established in 2020 by Hong Kong tycoon, Bill Wong Cho-bau, Greater Bay Airlines made its inaugural flight, from Hong Kong to Bangkok, on 23 July.
