Boeing 737-800s must be inspected for cracks sooner than before

The US aviation regulator is tightening the rules for inspecting certain Boeing 737-800 airplanes. Airlines must now check for fuselage cracks more frequently than they used to. This means these specific planes will spend more time in maintenance bays and less time flying.

The US aviation regulator is shortening the time airlines have to inspect for cracks in the fuselage skin of a specific Boeing 737 model. This is a direct response to the agency determining that the previous inspection schedule was not adequate to catch problems. Airlines operating these planes now face higher maintenance costs and reduced operational time for these aircraft.