The US aviation regulator has said 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes will remain grounded until it is satisfied the planes are safe.

The FAA is inspecting jets following a fuselage fall on an Alaska Airlines plane, focusing on safety. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun stated that the FAA’s priority is maintaining public safety, as thousands of flights were cancelled.

Boeing is holding an all-employee safety meeting to address the incident involving a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft. The majority of flights in the US are operated by United Airlines and Alaska, with Turkish Airlines, Copa Airlines, and Aeromexico also grounding jets for inspections. Alaska grounded 65 planes and cancelled 163 flights, affecting around 25,000 people. Authorities are still searching for the plug door that fell to the ground in Portland.

Boeing’s 737 Max, known for its safety issues, has been grounded for a year and a half after two crashes in March 2019. The plane, carrying 177 passengers and crew, landed safely in Portland, with several injured but not seriously. Boeing recently increased the pace of 737 Max deliveries after resolving a supply error.