Alaska Airlines has found loose bolts on "many" of its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft during recent inspections, CEO Ben Minicucci said in his first interview since an exit door plug blew out during a Jan. 5 Alaska flight.
Ben Minicuuci
Minicucci also said that Alaska has begun putting its own extra oversight on the Boeing production line.
"I'm more than frustrated and disappointed. I'm angry," Minicucci said in an interview that will first air Tuesday evening on NBC News with Lester Holt. "This happened to Alaska Airlines. It happened to our guests and happened to our people."
• Related: FAA recommends bolt inspections on other Boeing 737s
The FAA grounded 171 Max 9 planes the day after Alaska's Flight 1282, in which the door plug blew out shortly after takeoff over Portland, Ore. The plug was missing all four of its bolts when it was recovered a few days later in a Portland-area yard.
Alaska has 65 Max 9s. United, which has 79 Max 9s, has also reported finding loose door plug bolts during preliminary inspections.
• Related: United says it's giving up on the Max 10
Minicucci said that inspections take about 10 hours per door plug, according to a partial transcript NBC provided of his interview with reporter Tom Costello.
The FAA has yet to issue a directive approving an inspection methodology for grounded Max 9s. Once it does, Alaska will need several day to get all its Max 9s back in the air, Minicucci said.