A former Boeing employee claims he was fired over concerns that parts of the 787 Dreamliner were not fastened correctly and could disintegrate in flight.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was investigating the allegations that the manufacturer rushed production of the plane while aware of potential faults.

Lawyers for engineer whistleblower Sam Salehpour have accused Boeing of “putting profits over safety” in building the 787 plane, which is now used by 92 different airlines, experts told reporters I.

The FAA said there have also been reports of problems with Boeing 777s, but did not provide further details.

Boeing told I The statement about “787 structural integrity” is inaccurate.

“We are confident in the 787 Dreamliner because of the comprehensive work that has been done to ensure the aircraft’s quality and long-term safety,” the statement said.

“We will continue to monitor these issues in accordance with established regulatory protocols and encourage all employees to speak up when issues arise.”

The planemaker’s shares fell nearly 2% on Tuesday after the FAA said it was investigating the allegations.

The troubled company reported delivering just 83 aircraft to customers in the first three months of the year.

Aviation consultants have warned that as aircraft supply falls this could “inevitably” lead to higher airfares, while demand from holidaymakers appears to remain high.

The company has come under intense pressure after a series of incidents in recent years raised questions about the safety of its aircraft.

In January, a Boeing 737 Max-9 operated by Alaska Airlines bound for Ontario, California, was forced to make an emergency landing after part of its fuselage detached, triggering a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. In another incident that month, video posted on social media captured a Boeing 747-8 catching fire in Miami, Florida. Previously, Boeing 737 Max passenger planes were grounded worldwide after 346 people died in two similar accidents in 2018 and 2019.

Whistleblower John Barnett, who worked at the 787 Dreamliner’s South Carolina production center and raised concerns about manufacturing practices, was found dead last month with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Chief Executive David Calhoun announced last month that he would step down as Boeing CEO at the end of 2024. Boeing Chairman Larry Kellner and its commercial airplanes chief executive Stan Deal are also resigning.

John Grant of global travel data provider OAG said I: “Boeing’s brand has suffered a lot.

“With very limited production at the moment, their financial results will be affected, and other factors such as compensation will also affect their performance, but in the long term, the aircraft manufacturer is building very safe aircraft that are already in the sky. decades.

“Boeing was certainly sloppy on some of its processes and has been found to have chased cash demands too often and cut corners in the nature of its business.”

Mr. Salepour’s lawyer, Debra Katz, said the whistleblower repeatedly warned the company that changes in the manufacturing process of its 787 jets threatened its integrity, but that he was ignored and subsequently transferred.

Ms Katz said: “This is the culture that Boeing allows to exist. It is a culture that prioritizes the production of aircraft and pushes them off the line even when there are serious concerns about the structural integrity of these aircraft and the process by which they are produced.

“These problems are a direct result of Boeing’s decision in recent years to put profits over safety and FAA regulators being too deferential to the industry.”

Speaking of her client, Ms Katz added: “He was threatened with dismissal, excluded from important meetings, projects and communications, denied reasonable requests for sick leave, assigned work beyond his expertise and effectively Declare to colleagues that he is persona non grata.”

The Dreamliner 787 fleet has been grounded multiple times due to safety issues, including fires caused by faulty batteries, safety issues with incorrectly sized panel gap fillers and data analysis errors.

Boeing slowed production and halted deliveries for nearly two years in response to the concerns raised, but recently began assembling the planes after the FAA gave the manufacturer the go-ahead to resume deliveries in 2022.

Mr Grant said there were currently 2,000 B787s flying in the skies around the world, but told I He believes the planes should not be grounded because “airlines employ the highest safety standards and have the highest quality staff possible, all of which are overseen by regulators.”