Following a three-hour meeting with government regulators, who will not lift the limitations imposed on the firm following a plane burst of a fuselage panel in January, Boeing executives outlined their strategy to enhance production quality and safety. Federal Aviation Administration chief Mike Whitaker stated that the plan was comprehensive and included encouraging Boeing employees to speak up about safety concerns. Whitaker informed reporters after the meeting, "This is a guide for a new way for Boeing to do business." He emphasised that Boeing had laid out its roadmap and now needed to execute it. Boeing released an 11-page summary of its "Product Safety and Quality Plan," which described steps the company was taking, including increased inspections and tighter controls over suppliers. It also outlined how Boeing would measure its improvement. CEO David Calhoun, who announced his decision to step down at the end of the year after the Jan. 5 blowout during an Alaska Airlines flight, stated that the document was crafted from comments by employees, the FAA, airlines, and independent experts. Calhoun said in a statement, "Many of these actions are underway, and our team is committed to executing on each element of the plan." He emphasised that the actions taken would further strengthen the foundation of commercial aviation safety. Stephanie Pope, recently promoted to chief operating officer and chief executive of Boeing's commercial aeroplanes division, remarked that the plan was designed to improve employee training, simplify manufacturing, "eliminate defects at the source, and elevate our safety and quality culture." Regarding the Jan. 5 blowout incident, Whitaker expressed his desire for Boeing to develop a comprehensive, detailed plan that improves manufacturing processes, quality, and safety management while encouraging employees to raise safety concerns. He confirmed that Boeing had accepted all safety recommendations made earlier in the year by a panel of independent safety experts. Despite these measures, Whitaker stated that the FAA would continue to cap production of the 737 Max, Boeing's best-selling plane, and insist on approving each plane that comes off the assembly line. He mentioned that the FAA would also maintain a "significant increase" in safety inspectors at plants run by Boeing and its key supplier, Spirit AeroSystems. Boeing's recent problems could expose it to criminal prosecution related to the deadly crashes of two Max jetliners in 2018 and 2019. The Justice Department said two weeks ago that Boeing violated the terms of a 2021 settlement that allowed it to avoid prosecution for fraud. Whitaker acknowledged that whistleblowers had accused the company of taking shortcuts that endanger passengers, a claim Boeing disputes. A panel convened by the FAA prior to the blowout found shortcomings in the aircraft maker's safety culture. Most of the recent problems have been related to the Max, but Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems have also struggled with manufacturing flaws on a larger plane, the 787 Dreamliner. Boeing has suffered setbacks on other programmes, including its Starliner space capsule, a military refuelling tanker, and new Air Force One presidential jets. Boeing officials have pledged to regain the trust of regulators and the flying public. They stated that Boeing was promoting a positive safety culture, improving worker training, reducing "travelled work," and keeping closer tabs on Spirit AeroSystems, including preventing the supplier from shipping defective fuselages to Boeing.