This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
On October 31, 2019, Qantas grounded a Boeing 737 plane after discovering a crack in the aircraft's 'pickle fork', a crucial component that connects the wing to the fuselage.
The discovery came after Boeing reported the potential issue with the 737NG planes, which have flown over 30,000 times.
Qantas has since hastened its inspections of 32 other 737NG planes, with the aim of completing them by Friday.
However, the move has raised fears that the cracking issue could affect newer planes than previously thought, leading to calls for the Australian airline to ground its entire 737 fleet.
"These aircraft should be kept safe on the ground until urgent inspections are completed," said Steve Purvinas, an engineers' union representative.
But Qantas has dismissed the call as "completely irresponsible", with its head of engineering, Chris Snook, stating that even when a crack is present, it does not immediately compromise the safety of the aircraft.
