American Airlines hopes to return 737 MAX to service by end of 2020
Oct 19, 2020, 1:28 PM | Updated: Oct 20, 2020, 6:23 am
American Airlines hope to return the 737 MAX to service shortly after Christmas. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
(AP Photo/Matt York, File)
Passengers could be flying on Boeing 737 MAX jets before the end of the year, with American Airlines set to start service just after Christmas.
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American Airlines says it plans to have one passenger flight a day on a MAX, starting Dec. 29 and running through Jan. 4. It will make a future decision on whether to extend that.
The daily flight would connect Miami and New York. Passengers would be notified that they are booking a flight on a Boeing 737 MAX. Passengers can start booking for these flights on Saturday.
This is all dependent on how fast the Federal Aviation Administration grants the 737 MAX re-certification and approves it for passenger service, with American Airlines noting that its plans will be “highly dependent” on that timeline. Provided that process goes smoothly, customers could be able to book flights on MAX planes as soon as Oct. 24.
Southwest is planning on returning passenger flights on the MAX early next year. United and Delta have no plans to return the plane to service right now.
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The 737 MAX has been grounded since March 2019 after a pair of crashes that killed 346 people. The company has struggled in the days since, largely due to the ongoing pandemic and reduced orders for planes.
In late May, Boeing began serving layoff notices for over 6,700 U.S. employees, after announcing in April that it would be trimming 10% of its global workforce. More recently, it announced that it will be moving its 787 Dreamliner production line out of Everett and consolidating it in South Carolina by mid-2021.
MyNorthwest staff contributed to this report.
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