Lawyer seeks hefty 25-billion-dollar penalty against Boeing.
Victims' Families Seek Billion-Dollar Fine from Boeing Over 737 Max Crashes
Following two deadly crashes of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft in 2018 and 2019, the families of the 346 victims are demanding a severe penalty from the aircraft manufacturer. In a written statement, they are calling for a fine of $24.8 billion USD ($23.1 billion Euros) and legal action against Boeing, citing the company's actions as the deadliest corporate crimes in US history.
Paul Cassell, a lawyer for the families, suggests that the fine could be reduced if Boeing can demonstrate significant investment in independent safety inspections and improvements. The Boeing board should also meet with the families, according to Cassell.
Cassell also demands that government prosecutors pursue legal action against the representatives of the company who were in charge during the 2018 and 2019 crashes, including former CEO Dennis Muilenburg, who was dismissed at the end of 2019.
Recent technical issues with Boeing planes, such as a cabin wall coming loose on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 of Alaska Airlines during a flight, have caused alarm. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily grounded all 737 MAX aircraft in January as a result of this incident, and other issues have been reported since.
At a hearing before a US Senate committee on Tuesday, outgoing Boeing chairman Dave Calhoun apologized to the families of the victims and promised improvement. "Our culture is still far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress," he said.
In addition to the crashes, several technical issues with Boeing planes have caused concern. For instance, during a flight, a part of the cabin wall of a Boeing 737 MAX 9 of Alaska Airlines detached, necessitating an emergency landing. The FAA ordered a temporary grounding of all 737 MAX aircraft in January following this incident, and several other issues have come to light since.
At a US Senate committee hearing on Tuesday, outgoing Boeing chairman Dave Calhoun issued an apology to the families of the victims and pledged improvement. "Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress," he said. Calhoun also admitted that the company's culture was to blame for the crashes.
