This airplane has a screw loose. . . Or more. Credit: Chaz Challenger – Ticktok
A scheduled domestic flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai turned into a nightmarish video for flyers after a passenger spotted what appeared to be a loose bolt protruding from the wing of the Boeing 737-800, sparking a serious investigation.
The footage was widely shared on social media, sparking a heated debate over civil aviation maintenance standards and prompting Thailand’s aviation authority to launch an immediate investigation.
The passenger made the discovery while on board Thai Lion Air, a low-cost airline that operates popular Boeing 737-800 aircraft. According to the report, a passenger noticed the horrifying scene while boarding the plane and quickly recorded a short clip showing several bolts on the outside of the wing apparently not secured. “Maintenance must be taken seriously,” a passenger captioned the video in a post that has since garnered thousands of views and shares, raising concerns among frequent flyers.
Thai Civil Aviation Authority launches investigation into aircraft maintenance
In response, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand announced that it would investigate whether the abnormality occurred during the aircraft’s pre-flight inspection or regular maintenance inspection. The focus will be on compliance with international safety protocols, given the 737-800’s widespread use and history of scrutiny for potential manufacturing and maintenance flaws.
However, Thai Lion Air acted quickly to reassure the public. The airline said in a statement that the loose bolt “does not pose a risk to passengers or aircraft operations.” As expected, the plane landed safely in Chiang Mai and subsequently underwent a thorough technical inspection. “The aircraft continues to meet all international safety standards,” the airline added, underscoring its commitment to strict protocols.
Increased maintenance issues
Although no injuries or disruptions were reported from the flight, the episode is indicative of broader vulnerabilities in the aviation industry. The Boeing 737-800, the workhorse of airlines around the world, has faced ongoing questions in recent years regarding assembly quality and maintenance requirements, but in this case there was no structural damage or damage.
The video has gone viral online, sparking a spike in passenger anxiety and many questioning the vigilance of ground staff and regulators. “How does something like this get through?” one commenter wrote in response to calls for stricter oversight. As air travel recovers after the pandemic, incidents like this are a reminder that even the smallest oversight can erode trust in an airline industry that boasts a near-perfect safety record.
Recent red flags in airline maintenance: A worrying pattern?
The incident in Thailand is by no means isolated. The civil aviation industry saw a spate of maintenance-related incidents in 2024 and 2025 that raised eyebrows among experts and regulators, often linked to supply chain issues, worker shortages and aging aircraft.
Below are some notable examples.
- Alaska Airlines Door Plug Explosion (January 2024): A Boeing 737 Max 9 suffers mid-flight decompression after an emergency exit door plug violently pops off at an altitude of 16,000 feet, just minutes after takeoff from Portland, Oregon. The FAA grounded more than 170 similar planes for inspection, with loose bolts and improperly installed bolts discovered during factory maintenance. Subsequent inspections by United Airlines and Alaska Airlines revealed additional hardware problems on multiple planes, leading to whistleblowing complaints about Boeing’s quality control.
- Increase in fume events due to bleed air system failures (throughout 2024): The FAA logged nearly 1,000 maintenance difficulty reports for aircraft bleed air and air conditioning systems, pointing to potential missed routine maintenance. The number of incidents of “chimney phenomenon,” in which crew members and passengers become sick due to exposure to toxic air on board, is rapidly increasing, including an accident in December 2024 when a Swissair flight was filled with smoke during the flight, forcing the evacuation. Advocates blame reduced maintenance due to post-COVID-19 air traffic, but the FAA maintains such events remain rare (less than 33 flights per million flights).
- Collision with Turkish Airlines flight (October 2024): An Airbus A321 scraped its tail during a failed landing at Dublin Airport, likely due to insufficient pre-flight structural inspection and pilot briefing regarding the condition of the aircraft. Although the plane flew safely, it required weeks of repairs, highlighting how maintenance oversights can pose operational risks.
All of these are examples, as the average age of the world’s aircraft is at an all-time high of 14.8 years, and airlines are facing a projected shortage of 300,000 engineers by 2034, leading to calls for improved predictive maintenance technology and employee training. Although the number of fatal accidents rose to 16 (333 deaths) in 2024, experts stress that flying is still statistically safer than cars, thanks to the swift response of regulators.
But what do you do if you find a loose bolt like this on a plane’s wing, do you board anyway, alert the flight crew, or request a replacement?Finally, are there any airlines outright denying you boarding due to safety concerns?
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