Relatives of people who died in two crashes of Boeing 737 Max jetliners were in the room, some holding photos of their loved ones, to remind the CEO of the stakes. Calhoun began his remarks by standing, turning to face the families, and apologizing “for the grief that we have caused,” and vowing to focus on safety.
Calhoun’s appearance was the first before Congress by any high-ranking Boeing official since a panel blew out of a 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. No one was seriously injured in the incident, but it raised fresh concerns about the company’s bestselling commercial aircraft.
The tone of the hearing before the Senate investigations subcommittee was set hours earlier, when the panel released a 204-page report with new allegations from a whistleblower who said he worries that defective parts could be going into 737s. The whistleblower is the latest in a string of current and former Boeing employees to raise concerns about the company’s manufacturing processes, which federal officials are investigating.
“This hearing is a moment of reckoning,” the subcommittee chairman, Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. “It’s about a company, a once iconic company, that somehow lost its way.”
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., placed the blame squarely on Calhoun, saying that the man who became CEO in January 2020 had been too focused on the bottom line.
“You are cutting corners, you are eliminating safety procedures, you are sticking it to your employees, you are cutting back jobs because you are trying to squeeze very piece of profit you can out of this company,” Hawley said, his voice rising. “You are strip-mining Boeing.”
Hawley repeatedly mentioned Calhoun’s compensation for last year, valued at $32.8 million, and asked the CEO why he hasn’t resigned.
This story is from the Techlife News #660 edition of Techlife News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Techlife News #660 edition of Techlife News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
JUDGE PUTS $30 BILLION VISA MASTERCARD SETTLEMENT ON HOLD, IN SIGNAL OF LIKELY REJECTION
A federal judge said she’s not likely to approve the $30 billion settlement between the payment processing giants Visa and Mastercard and the merchants who say they’ve overpaid on swipe fees.
THE SUPREME COURT RULES FOR BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IN A SOCIAL MEDIA DISPUTE WITH CONSERVATIVE STATES
The Supreme Court this week sided with the Biden administration in a dispute with Republican-led states over how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social media posts on topics including COVID-19 and election security.
PEACE (AND PIECES) OF MIND 'INSIDE OUT 2'
Sequels have been a touchy subject when it comes to Pixar, but it’s hard to deny the natural premise of “Inside Out 2.”
STILL NEED YOUR LANDLINE? CALIFORNIA REGULATORS JUST STOPPED AT&T FROM PULLING THE PLUG
California’s Public Utilities Commission rejected AT&T’s application to stop providing landlines and other services in areas where there is no other option.
GM BRINGS IN NEW CEO TO STEER TROUBLED CRUISE ROBOTAXI SERVICE WHILE WAYMO RAMPS UP IN SAN FRANCISCO
General Motors this week named a veteran technology executive with roots in the video game industry to steer its troubled robotaxi service Cruise as it tries to recover from a gruesome collision that triggered the suspension of its California license.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES SAYS A KEY MEASURE OF PRICING POWER WILL BE WEAKER THAN EXPECTED IN 20
Southwest Airlines, already under pressure from a hedge fund for disappointing financial results, said Wednesday that a key revenue ratio will be weaker than expected because of changes in how consumers book travel.
WHERE TECH, POLITICS & GIVING MEET: CEO NICOLE TAYLOR CONSIDERS SILICON VALLEY'S BUSY INTERSECTION
Nicole Taylor has an insider’s view of philanthropic trends from her seat as the president and CEO of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
UN LAUNCHES GLOBAL PRINCIPLES TO COMBAT ONLINE HATE AND DEMANDS BIG TECH TAKE ACTION NOW
The United Nations chief this week launched global principles to combat online hate and lies and demanded that big tech companies use their power to reduce the harm they are doing to people and societies around the world.
FACIAL RECOGNITION STARTUP CLEARVIEW AI SETTLES PRIVACY SUIT
Facial recognition startup Clearview AI reached a settlement in an Illinois lawsuit alleging its massive photographic collection of faces violated the subjects’ privacy rights, a deal that attorneys estimate could be worth more than $50 million.
HOW NVIDIA BECAME AN AI GIANT
It all started at a Denny’s in San Jose in 1993.
