Alaska Airlines Extends Boeing 737 MAX 9 Flight Cancellations Amid FAA Review
Alaska Airlines announced on Thursday that it would prolong the cancellation of its Boeing 737 MAX 9 flights until Sunday. The decision comes as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to scrutinize inspection data from a subset of 40 planes.
The FAA had previously stated that out of the 171 grounded planes, 40 needed re-inspection before the agency could assess the results. The FAA aims to determine whether it is safe to permit the resumption of flights for the MAX 9s, following a mid-air cabin incident on an eight-week-old Alaska jet on January 5.
Both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, the two U.S. carriers utilizing the aircraft, completed the required inspections. However, due to the ongoing review process, they have been compelled to cancel thousands of flights this month.
The mid-air cabin blowout incident earlier this month raised concerns about the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX 9, prompting regulatory bodies to impose temporary grounding measures. Alaska Airlines had initially hoped to resume operations promptly after inspections but has extended cancellations to ensure compliance with FAA directives.
The FAA's meticulous review underscores the agency's commitment to prioritizing passenger safety. The re-inspection process is a precautionary measure to ascertain the airworthiness of the MAX 9 fleet before allowing them to return to service.
While the extension of flight cancellations may inconvenience travelers, the emphasis on comprehensive safety checks is essential.