The US aviation regulator FAA has ordered an inspection of the cockpit seats of Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes after reports that the seats can move unintentionally.
The aircraft manufacturer warned airlines in March that a switch behind the pilot seats could move the seats without permission if the mechanism became loose or damaged, and asked for checks to be carried out.
The warning followed an incident involving a Chilean airline Latam during a flight from Sydney to Auckland. The plane suddenly nosedived after a cockpit seat moved, throwing the pilot into the plane’s control panel. Dozens of passengers were injured in the incident.
Since that incident, the aviation authority says it has received more reports of unsolicited seat moves. That is why the FAA is now requesting an inspection. According to the regulator, 158 aircraft are involved in the US, and 737 aircraft worldwide.