A second Boeing whistleblower has died unexpectedly as the company faces scrutiny over safety failures on its passenger jets.

Joshua Dean, a quality inspector for the Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, died this week after a surprise infection left him in critical condition for days, according to his family.

The cause was Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, an antibiotic-resistant staph infection commonly known as MRSA, his aunt Carol Parsons told the Seattle Times, which first reported the death.

Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems and one of the first whistleblowers to allege Spirit leadership had ignored manufacturing defects on the 737 MAX, died Tuesday morning after a struggle with a sudden, fast-spreading infection. 

Known as Josh, Dean lived in Wichita, Kan., where Spirit is based. He was 45, had been in good health and was noted for having a healthy lifestyle.

He died after two weeks in critical condition, his aunt Carol Parsons said.

Joshua Dean, a Boeing whistleblower who warned of manufacturing defects in the planemaker’s 737 Max, has died after a short illness, the second Boeing whistleblower to die this year.

Dean, 45, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alleging “serious and gross misconduct by senior quality management of the 737 production line” at Spirit.

The Biden administration announced new rules that mandate automatic cash refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights and protect consumers from surprise junk fees in air travel. 

"These rules will significantly expand consumer protections in air travel, provide passengers an easier pathway to refunds when owed, and save consumers over half a billion dollars every year in hidden and surprise junk fees," the White House said in a statement released early Wednesday. 

The U.S. Transportation Department is finalizing on Tuesday new rules that require upfront disclosure of airline fees and mandate refunds for delayed baggage or inoperative services like onboard Wi-Fi.

The rules, which were nearly three years in the works, will require airlines and ticket agents to tell consumers upfront about baggage or change and cancellation fees. The department said consumers are expected to save $543 million annually in excess airline fees.

In an effort to crack down on airlines that charge passengers steep fees to check bags and change flights, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced new regulations aimed at expanding consumer protections.

One of the final rules announced Wednesday requires airlines to show the full price of travel before passengers pay for their tickets. The other will force airlines to provide prompt cash refunds when flights are canceled or significantly changed.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it plans to investigate a close call involving JetBlue and Southwest aircraft in Washington on Thursday. 

JetBlue Airways told FOX Business that Flight 1554, which was flying from Washington, D.C., to Boston, had to abort its takeoff because another aircraft had attempted to cross the runway. 

Is it just me, or does it seem like a lot of bad things keep happening to Boeing airplanes lately?

Ever since the shocking January 5 incident in which a door plug fell out of a Boeing 737 Max 9 in midair, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane, many fliers have been jumpy. Their fears have been fueled by news sites that have been serving up incident after incident: a Boeing 737 Max 8 sliding off the runway in Houston, another 737 in Houston making an emergency return after flames were spotted spewing out of an…

Tesla has been ordered to recall nearly 4,000 of its Cybertrucks due to an accelerator pedal that can stick in place when pressed down.

The cause, according to the regulator: soap.

“An unapproved change introduced lubricant (soap) to aid in the component assembly of the pad onto the accelerator pedal. Residual lubricant reduced the retention of the pad to the pedal,” the NHTSA wrote in the recall document.

Tesla will recall nearly 3,900 Cybertruck pickups because of defective accelerator pedals that could dislodge, causing the vehicles to unintentionally accelerate and increasing the risk of a crash, according to a filing Friday, after Tesla halted Cybertruck deliveries last week amid speculation the models were affected by faulty pedals.

The recall affects 3,878 Tesla Cybertruck vehicles manufactured between November 2023 and April 2024, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing.