Boeing chief fired but 737 concerns persist
Boeing France
Boeing has fired its chief executive, Dennis Muilenburg, in a bid to restore confidence in the firm after two deadly crashes involving its 737 Max plane.
More than 340 people died in the disasters, prompting accusations that Boeing put profit before safety.
Families of the victims welcomed Mr Muilenberg’s resignation as overdue.
But they said Boeing’s decision to replace him with a long-time board member raised questions about its commitment to change.
Boeing named David Calhoun, who has served on the firm’s board since 2009 and is its current chairman, as chief executive and president.
“While the resignation of Mr Muilenburg is a step in the right direction, it is clear that the Boeing Company needs a revamp of its corporate governance,” said Paul Njoroge, who lost his wife, three children and mother-in-law when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed in March. Mr Calhoun “is not the right person for the job”, he added.
Zipporah Kuria, whose father was also killed on the Ethiopian Airlines flight, said Mr Muilenburg should have been replaced “a long time ago” but responsibility for the crashes is shared.
“I feel as though a lot more people should have resigned including the person who’s becoming CEO,” she told the BBC.
Boeing has been under intense scrutiny since two 737 Max planes crashed within five months of each other, first in Indonesia and then in Ethiopia.
The 737 Max fleet has been grounded worldwide since March.
While the company had been hoping to have the best-selling jet back in the air by the end of this year, US regulators have made it clear that it would not be certified to return to the skies that quickly.
