All Boeing 737-300s, 400s and 500s that have taken off and landed more than 30,000 times will undergo immediate inspection following Friday’s incident when a Southwest jet split open midflight.
About 175 older planes owned by a variety of carriers will have to be examined within the next five days, according to US aviation regulators the Federal Aviation Administration.
There are currently around 1,800 older Boeing models in service and they are the most widely used plane in the world.
On Friday a Southwest Boeing 737-300 had to make an emergency landing after a hole appeared in the cabin roof as the plane flew over Arizona. A cabin crew member suffered minor injuries.
Following the incident, cracks were found on three Southwest 737-300s during metal fatigue inspections.
Southwest has had to cancel hundreds of flights as it rushes to comply with the FAA’s directive.
by Dinah Hatch
