On January 6th local time, Alaska Airlines issued an update regarding the incident on Flight 1282 the previous day, stating that the investigation is currently underway. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has now become the lead agency for the investigation. The Alaska Aviation Safety and Technology team, along with representatives from Boeing, are closely involved in supporting the investigation of NTSB.
As of 16:00 local time on the 6th, the airline has cancelled a total of 160 flights, affecting approximately 23000 passengers. Alaska Airlines stated, "We are currently determining the flights that need to be cancelled tomorrow, and the interruption is expected to last at least until mid next week." According to the airline, the aircraft involved in Flight 1282 was delivered on October 31, 2023.
On the evening of January 5th local time, shortly after takeoff, an Alaska Airlines 737MAX9 aircraft experienced a sudden detachment of the left center rear emergency hatch from the fuselage, causing the cabin to momentarily release pressure and all oxygen masks to fall off. Subsequently, the plane made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport in Oregon. That evening, Alaska Airlines issued a statement temporarily suspending the flight of 65 Boeing 737MAX9 aircraft. Each aircraft can only resume flight after completing comprehensive maintenance and safety checks, and all inspections are expected to be completed in the coming days.
On January 6th, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States ordered a temporary grounding of Boeing 737MAX9 aircraft operated by American airlines or within the United States for safety inspections. This emergency airworthiness directive will affect approximately 171 aircraft.