The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new airworthiness directive that would require operators of certain Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to conduct detailed inspections of passenger seat attachment fittings. The proposed measure is estimated to affect 453 aircraft in the United States alone.

The proposal applies to certain Boeing 737-8, 737-9 and 737-8200 aircraft, the latter also known as the 737 MAX 8-200, identified in Boeing Special Attention Requirements Bulletin 737-25-1927 RB, dated December 10, 2025.

According to the FAA, the regulatory action was prompted by a report that some passenger seat assemblies had not been correctly installed in the floor seat tracks. More specifically, the aft fitting shear plungers had not been fully lowered and engaged in the tracks.

An incorrectly secured seat could disengage from the floor tracks during increased loading, severe turbulence or an emergency landing. The FAA warned that such an event could injure passengers or crew members, while a displaced seat could also block the aisle and delay an evacuation.

If adopted in its current form, the directive would require operators to carry out a detailed inspection of the fittings on each passenger seat assembly mounted to the left- and right-side seat tracks. Any seat found to have been incorrectly installed would have to be properly repositioned and secured in accordance with Boeing’s service instructions.

The FAA estimates that an aircraft could have up to 69 seat assemblies requiring inspection, depending on its passenger cabin configuration. The inspection is expected to cost $85 per seat assembly, bringing the total estimated cost for U.S. operators to as much as $2,656,845.

For each seat requiring corrective action, the FAA estimates an additional labour cost of up to $85. Replacement parts are not expected to be necessary, as the existing seat assembly would only need to be correctly positioned and secured in the tracks. Boeing has told the regulator that some or all of the related costs could be covered under warranty, potentially reducing the financial impact on operators.

The FAA said it initiated the process after determining that the same condition could exist or develop on other aircraft of the same type design. The proposal is being processed under AD project number AD-2026-00040-T and docket number FAA-2026-7228.

The published document is currently only a notice of proposed rulemaking and not a final, legally binding airworthiness directive. It therefore does not require the affected aircraft to be grounded or automatically suspend Boeing 737 MAX operations. Once the public consultation period has ended, the FAA will review the submitted comments and decide whether to amend the proposal or issue a final directive.

Interested parties may submit comments until September 10, 2026. If the directive is adopted, mandatory compliance deadlines for the inspections and corrective work will be defined in accordance with Boeing’s Requirements Bulletin and the final wording of the FAA directive.