If you are studying a degree related to Hospitality, Tourism and Events, you should base your report on the Boeing Travel case study.

Assignment Brief

QUESTION

Task: Write a report of 2000 words answering the 2-part question below. You should base your answer on the following case studies:

• If you are studying a degree related to Hospitality, Tourism and Events, you should base your report on the Boeing Travel case study.

Boeing Travel

In October 2018, 189 people were killed in a Boeing 737 Max Lion Air flight in Indonesia, when the aircraft went into a sudden nose dive crashing into the sea 13 minutes after take-off. In March 2019, 157 people lost their lives when a Boeing 737 Max Ethiopian Airlines flight nose-dived into the countryside outside Addis Ababa. Both accidents were blamed on software flaws and issues with the sensors, specifically, the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MACS), which was designed to keep the flight stable was malfunctioning, pushing the nose of the aircraft down, overriding any actions by the pilot.

The Boeing 737 Max is the fastest selling aircraft in Boeing’s history. Of the 700,000 commercial flights per week, 6,548 of them are Boeing 737 Max aircrafts. Now that the whole fleet has been grounded, the airlines most affected by this are Southwest Airlines, Air Canada and American Airlines.

This has had some impact on the travel and tourism industry, including an increase in travel anxiety. Although, according to the National Safety Council there is only a 1 in 188,363 chance of dying in an airplane crash, many people have a fear of flying. Social media have also exacerbated this anxiety. Further to this, online booking sites such as Kayak, have now introduced a filter so that specific types of aircraft can be selected or avoided.

Your report should follow the structure and suggested word counts below:  

Cover Page

• Title of the report
• Title of the module
• Student Number (1xxxxxx)
• Date of submission
• Word count

Sample Answer

Ethical Behaviour in Aviation: The Case of Boeing 737 Max

Business Management – Ethics in Travel and Tourism

Introduction

Ethical behaviour in the aviation industry is essential to ensure public safety, trust, and the sustainability of the travel sector. This report explores the Boeing 737 Max crisis, which involved two fatal crashes due to technical issues, and examines whether companies like Boeing, that engage in unethical behaviour, should be allowed to continue operating. The report also evaluates what steps Boeing can take to ensure higher ethical standards in the future. The aviation sector, as a key component of the global tourism industry, heavily relies on safe and responsible practices. The Boeing case raises serious questions about corporate responsibility, transparency, and accountability. This report uses the case to reflect on the balance between corporate survival and moral conduct, and what organisations must do to regain public trust after major ethical failures.

Part 1: Should Unethical Organisations Be Allowed to Operate? 

Overview of the Boeing Case

Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft was involved in two tragic crashes between 2018 and 2019. In both accidents, the aircraft’s software (MCAS) malfunctioned, leading to fatal consequences. The issue was known internally before the second crash, raising serious concerns about Boeing’s internal decision-making processes and commitment to safety (Gelles et al., 2019).

Investigations revealed that Boeing failed to adequately inform pilots about the MCAS system and that there were gaps in FAA certification processes. Internal emails suggested that Boeing employees were aware of software concerns but chose not to raise the issue to avoid delays in production or sales (New York Times, 2020).

Ethical Failures in the Case

The Boeing case demonstrates multiple unethical actions:

• Neglect of safety: The decision not to provide full training or documentation to pilots on the MCAS system showed a disregard for human life.

• Profit over safety: Boeing was in a competitive race with Airbus and rushed development of the 737 Max to avoid losing market share.

• Lack of transparency: The company delayed acknowledging faults in the aircraft design until after the second crash.

Should Boeing Be Allowed to Operate?

This question is complex. On one hand, unethical behaviour, especially when it results in loss of life, should carry severe consequences. Some argue that Boeing should have faced harsher penalties, or even temporary suspension of operations, to send a clear message that safety must come before profit.

However, it is also important to consider the broader impact:

• Employment: Boeing employs thousands of people across the world. Shutting down operations would affect many innocent workers.

• Economic impact: As a major player in global aviation, grounding Boeing permanently would disrupt airlines, tourism, and travel.

• Opportunity to reform: Some argue companies should be given a chance to fix their mistakes and improve practices.

Ultimately, while Boeing’s behaviour was unethical, banning its operations might have caused more harm than good. A more suitable solution could involve strict penalties, external oversight, and transparent reforms to ensure similar incidents never happen again.

Comparison with Other Cases

Other companies, such as Volkswagen (emissions scandal), were allowed to continue operating after major ethical failures. This suggests that total shutdown is rare. Instead, governments prefer to use fines, public inquiries, and monitoring as corrective tools. If Boeing had been completely shut down, the aviation industry would have suffered significantly, especially as the 737 Max is widely used.

Continued...