What Are Door Plugs & Which Aircraft Have Them?

On January 5th, 2024, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, registered as N704AL, was operating flight AS 1282 from Portland International Airport (PDX) to Ontario International Airport (ONT). While the flight started without any issues, in one moment, the flight, the aircraft type, and, once again, Boeing, were in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, as the aircraft’s plug door separated from the fuselage. The 737 MAX 9’s peak altitude was 16,300 feet or 4,968 meters, which likely contributed to the fact that the incident did not result in any fatalities, with no passengers sitting in the row where the plug door was located. Travelers fortunately walked away with just minor injuries or without their phones.