The US has warned hundreds of Boeing planes may need to inspect the safety of the seats Aviation News

The regulator is issuing checks on 453 US-registered jets for seats that may have been incorrectly installed.

US aviation officials have warned that hundreds of seats on Boeing 737 MAX planes may have been installed incorrectly and may need to be inspected.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday that the matter concerns 453 jets registered in the US and wants the airlines to inspect the seats.

If not properly installed, the seats can come down in an emergency and “injure passengers and crew”, the FAA said, adding that they “can block the aisle and reduce egress”.

The rule will only apply to US-registered aircraft because the FAA does not regulate foreign airlines.

Regulators in other countries, however, often follow FAA regulations when a problem affects airlines operating in their markets.

A spokesman for Boeing told Reuters that the company issued instructions to workers on the matter in December 2025.

“We support the FAA in making this guidance mandatory,” the spokesperson said in an email.

The warning adds to decades of scrutiny over Boeing’s safety record.

A cabin the panel has exploded Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in January 2024, forcing an emergency landing and causing the FAA to ground 171 planes.

Investigators later discovered that the group was missing four keys.

The search expanded after the spread to others accidents all over the worldand the death of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett in March 2024 while he was testifying in a securities lawsuit against the company.

In June 2025, the US National Transportation Safety Board said Boeing failed to provide adequate training, guidance and oversight to prevent the Alaska Airlines crash.

There are approximately 2,300 737 MAX aircraft in operation worldwide, including 823 in the US, according to aviation and intelligence consultancy IBA.