Boeing HQ (IANS)

Boeing CEO David Calhoun has been at the receiving end of a US Congressional grilling over safety issues and transparency at the company, according to reports. Senator Josh Hawley blasted Calhoun during his first appearance before the Congress following a January incident when the exit door of a Boeing 737 Max belonging to Alaska Airlines blew off midair.

In a video posted by a US non-profit cable network, Senator Hawley asked the CEO how much he was paid to do the job.

To which, Calhoun stated the amount to be $32.8 million, a 45% increase from last year.

“What is it that you are paid to do?” asked Hawley next.

“I am paid to run the Boeing company,” replied Calhoun.

The Senator asked him if transparency was one of the matrices for his significant income, and if so, why the Boeing CEO was under investigation for falsifying 787 inspection records, the company was under criminal investigation for the Alaska Airlines incident, and was in trouble with DOJ (Department of Justice) for criminal conspiracy to defraud FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), under his tenure.

“Doesn’t sound like a lot of transparency to me,” concluded the Senator.

The aviation giant has been under the FAA’s radar for quality control, too, as the Senator mentioned. He said that Boeing is still to implement measures suggested by the FAA in 2019-20.

Hawley said that when the FAA had toured the facility of one of Boeing’s suppliers, a ‘door seal was lubricated with dish soap and cleaned with cheesecloth’, another door seal was ‘checked with a hotel key card’.

To which, the CEO replied that he is taking steps to prevent that from happening again. 

Over this, the Senator asked him how he was qualified for such a package (salary) if safety was a component of it.

The issue of quality assurance was also a concern with the company, as the Senator said that whistleblowers told Congress that Boeing is cutting every corner on quality and safety, not only in the past but even at present.

“Fewer inspectors doing quality inspections, and when they raise concerns, they are reassigned or threatened by Boeing,” alleged the senator.

To which, the CEO countered that the company has increased the inspectors significantly.

“Have your profits increased?” asked the Senator, to which the CEO replied in negative.

The Senator then slammed the CEO, saying, “I think you are not focused on safety, quality, or transparency. You are trying to squeeze every piece of profit from the company.”

“You are strip mining Boeing,” he said, “It was one of the greatest American companies ever, it employed thousands of people in my state. You are strip-mining and being rewarded for it.

“It is working out for you, but for American people, they are in danger. Your workers are in peril. Your whistleblowers fear for their lives, but you are getting compensated like never before…” he continued.

“Aren’t your priorities misplaced?” the Senator asked.

“You should be working on quality planes, paying your workers well, and taking care of little guys that got you where you are,” he said.

“Instead,” he continued, “ Your employees (engineers) told us they are not listened to or threatened.”

The Senator said that he did not recognise Boeing anymore for what it was, and the CEO was getting paid handsomely for it.

“Why haven't you resigned?” he asked the CEO.

Replying to this, the CEO said, “Senator, I am sticking this through. I am proud of having taken the job. I am proud of our safety record. I am very proud of our Boeing people.”

“You're proud of this safety record?” the Senator asked with surprise.

“of every action we have taken…” replied the CEO.

To that, the Senator said that behind the CEO were the people showing the victims of their safety records, as people sitting behind show hoardings with crash victims’ faces on them.

“It’s a travesty that you still have a job,” concluded the Senator.

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