Boeing said on Friday that it was in talks to acquire Spirit AeroSystems, a struggling supplier that the manufacturer spun out nearly two decades ago and that makes the bodies of the 737 Max jet.
In reabsorbing Spirit, Boeing would be seeking to rescue and restructure a troubled but important partner that has been battered by years of losses and quality control problems.
Spirit’s problems have also at times limited how fast Boeing can produce Max planes, its most popular commercial jet.
Bringing Spirit, one of the company’s key suppliers, back in house would be a significant strategic shift for Boeing, which has long relied on outsourcing to make its planes.
Experts say the episode could have been catastrophic had it happened at a higher altitude with passengers moving about the cabin.
Organizations:
Boeing, Alaska Airlines