Federal officials recommend that airlines inspect door plugs on some older Boeing jets as well

Federal officials are recommending that airlines inspect the door plugs on more Boeing 737s after one of the panel blew off a Boeing jet in midflight. The Federal Aviation Administration says airlines should also inspect the panels on an older model, the 737-900ER. Those planes have door plugs that are identical in design to the one that flew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing Max 9 jetliner this month. Boeing said Monday that it supports the FAA action. The plugs are panels that seal holes left for extra doors when the extra doors aren't needed to meet emergency-evacuation standards.