The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a proposed requirement for 453 U.S.-registered Boeing 737 aircraft to undergo detailed inspections amid safety concerns. The FAA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) included the 737-9 and 737-8200 models, and highlighted that the aircraft’s track-mounted seats’ incorrect assembly can cause injury or disengage under load during turbulence and emergencies.
The cost of safety
Correctly assembling the seats will cost $85 per seat, with up to 69 seats in each of the 453 Boeing 737 aircraft, for a total cost of up to $2,656,845, according to FAA estimates.
The aviation regulator determined that the safety issues found are “likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.”
Boeing said the FAA had previously issued guidance on safety concerns regarding track-mount seats in December 2025, according to Reuters.
A Boeing spokesperson told Reuters: “We support the FAA making that guidance mandatory.”
FAA proposed rulemaking
The FAA issued the NPRM, which, although it isn’t a legal order, will be available for public comment until Sept. 10, 2026, and will then be reviewed and, if approved, issued as an airworthiness directive (AD).
ADs are legally enforceable safety standards issued by the U.S. aviation regulator, which require all owners and operators of U.S.-registered aircraft to comply or face legal and regulatory action.
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