'Too Big to Fail?' Boeing Contracts May Be in Jeopardy Amid Probes

Aviation attorney Benjamin Allen discussed the implications of Boeing's legal issues for the company's viability in an Agenda article. Currently, Boeing is undergoing criminal and regulatory probes, including investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into a door plug failure on a Boeing 737 Max plane during an Alaska Airlines flight. A whistleblower has also come forward expressing safety concerns over the Dreamliner 787. If Boeing is convicted federally, the company could risk consequences such as being barred from contracting with the government. However, debarment is not common. Mr. Allen speculated on whether Boeing's prominence in the industry could help it avoid serious long-term damages.

[Boeing is] "a huge part of the U.S. aerospace industry," he said. "Are they too big to fail? Maybe. I don't know."

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