Even with a slew of safety incidents that make Snakes on a Plane look tolerable and a host of airlines cutting capacity due to a lack of planes, the worst of Boeing’s problems may still be ahead of it.

Within the last week, several Boeing planes caused panic around the world. A technical issue on a LATAM flight flung passengers around the cabin, injuring 50. Another plane had to make an emergency landing when flames burst out of an engine mid-flight.

And that’s just what happened in the air:

• The New York Times reported that an FAA audit—opened after a door plug flew off a Boeing 737 Max 9 during an Alaskan Airlines flight on January 5—found Boeing failed to comply with quality-control requirements. (The airline engineers and mechanics were aware of potential problems with the aircraft the day before the incident, according to the NYT.)
• The DOJ launched a criminal investigation into Boeing’s compliance with a settlement related to its role in two fatal 737 Max plane crashes in 2018 and 2019.
• A whistleblower who raised concerns about the company’s production line in 2019 was found dead on Saturday.

Airlines are getting cooked

More travelers might have to go the way of the Kenosha Kickers polka band. Boeing has tapered its production of 737 planes while it gets its stuff together, leaving airlines—which rely on Boeing as one of two main plane suppliers—with fewer aircraft.

Southwest got the worst of it: The airline notorious for not being bookable on Google Flights exclusively flies Boeing 737 planes. Southwest said it planned to receive 58 of Boeing’s 737 Max 8 planes but now expects just 46, and won’t get any of the long-awaited Max 7 jets. As a result, it cut flight capacity plans and changed its financial outlook for the year.

Other shake-ups in the industry include…United Airlines putting a pause on hiring pilots, Alaska Airlines saying its capacity for the year is in flux, and Ryanair lowering its passenger forecast—all because Boeing can’t deliver planes. It’s good news for Airbus, Boeing’s biggest rival, which delivered 49 planes in February compared to Boeing’s 27.—CC

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Inflation was a bit hotter than expected last month. Consumer prices rose 3.2% in February, the Labor Department reported yesterday, up a pinch from the 3.1% that economists expected. That marks the second straight month that inflation came in higher than forecast. The data reinforces the Fed’s position to wait until inflation is tamed before cutting interest rates. Still, the central bank is widely expected to cut rates sometime later this year despite yesterday’s less-than-ideal report. It will meet next week to continue deliberations on a potential rate reduction.

Haiti’s prime minister announced his resignation amid gang violence crisis. Ariel Henry said he would step down as the leader of the Caribbean nation once a transitional council selects an interim prime minister. The country has been overrun by armed gangs, which led a mass prison break earlier this month while Henry was abroad seeking support for a UN-backed security force. The gangs have burned down a police station and breached the port in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The US, which is supporting the UN security mission, has urged Americans not to travel to Haiti.

The Biden administration is sending $300 million in weapons to Ukraine. The weapons will be the first new aid from the US to Ukraine since December. Funding for the stopgap package was created thanks to cost savings from Pentagon contracts that came in under bid. US officials said the munitions would only help Ukraine for a short time and won’t prevent the country from running out of ammunition as it fends off Russia’s invasion. Republican leaders in Congress—on orders from former President Trump—have refused to allow a vote on a bill that would send $60 billion in aid to Ukraine.

Uncle Sam wants to make the yearly chore of giving him money a little easier. Yesterday, the IRS launched its Direct File pilot program, which lets Americans prepare their taxes for free without using third-party tools like TurboTax or H&R Block Tax Software.

This tax season, the online tool is only available for some federal income tax filings:

• Taxpayers can use the program in these 12 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.
• And filers must have simple tax situations. Think regular W-2 employees, but not gig workers or anyone with investment income—let alone someone running 16 shell companies.

The Treasury Department estimates that up to 19 million taxpayers, or about a third of all US tax returns, are eligible for the program.

Treading on TurboTax’s turf

The IRS claims Direct File is great news for taxpayers, who spent an average of $150 on private tax preparation services last year, per the Treasury Department. Meanwhile, the $14 billion for-profit tax prep industry isn’t so pleased that the IRS is now poaching its customers. They note that free filing options already exist for many taxpayers (though these come with caveats).

Looking ahead: The IRS hopes for 100,000 Direct File users this year, and it’ll consider expanding eligibility to business owners after this season.—SK

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Google wrote its own Greek tragedy by designing and building a giant new hyperadvanced building with green tech galore to usher employees back into the office—only to find out that the wi-fi is bad. Six people familiar with the situation told Reuters that wi-fi connectivity has been spotty at best in Google’s Bay View office in Mountain View, CA, for the last few months.

Employees have been making do by plugging in ethernet cables or working outside: fixes that make it difficult to utilize the “collaboration areas” the company boasted about in its press release touting the campus, which opened in May 2022. The office supports workers in the advertising and AI departments, with the latter working on developing its highly anticipated chatbot, Gemini (which itself has run into some speed bumps lately).

Employees blame the building’s huge, swooped roof tiles, which are meant to collect rainwater and fitted with dragonscale solar panels. Google admitted there are wi-fi issues but has not given a reason for the problems.

Oh, the irony. Sure, the blunder is embarrassing, but it’s also not a great look for a company that is trying to enforce a three-day-per-week in-office mandate.—MM

Stat: LaGuardia is finally bringing some respectability to New York jets. The Queens airport—long considered to be among the worst airports in the US (Joe Biden once said it looked like it belonged in a “third-world country”)—has risen from the ashes of public opinion, according to a new survey of travelers. The Airport Service Quality, which polled 4,200 flyers last year, named LGA the best airport of its size, just five years after it ranked last. LGA is in the midst of an $8 billion renovation, which has included a new terminal, upgraded amenities, and more spacious gate areas. Passenger satisfaction with the airport’s ambiance and cleanliness have jumped 21% and 15%, respectively, since 2018. Its overall score has increased 20%.

Quote: “It feels like a burden.”

Bumble’s whole jam is that women make the first move. But the dating app is considering changing its approach. On the company’s Q4 earnings call, CEO Lidiane Jones told investors that having women always initiate contact isn’t working for some users. Bumble is expected to relaunch in Q2 with several changes, which reportedly could include allowing men to unleash their ghastly pickup lines—like they do on many other apps. The pivot comes as dating apps struggle to attract Gen Zers.

Read: “A hot mess”: Inside this year’s chaotic college admissions season. (WSJ)