Has SIA done due diligence on Boeing 787 jets?

A Singapore Airlines airplane at JetQuay CIP Terminal. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Recent revelations from The New York Times have cast a serious negative light on the manufacturing process of the Boeing 787 jet at the company's plant in North Charleston, South Carolina (Boeing's Dreamliner draws scrutiny after claims of shoddy production, April 22).

It is alleged that during assembly of the 787 jets in the Charleston plant, corners were cut in quality and safety standards to meet the production schedule.

Recently, Singapore Airlines purchased a number of Boeing 787 jets for its budget subsidiary Scoot, and is adding the newer 787-10 variant to its fleet.

Given that most 787 jets are assembled in the Charleston plant, do these red flags regarding Boeing's manufacturing practices not concern our national carrier?

This is especially concerning after the two crashes involving the 737 Max 8 aircraft.

Richmond Lee

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 15, 2019, with the headline Has SIA done due diligence on Boeing 787 jets?. Subscribe