Travel Influencer Advises Against Flying on Boeing 737 Max 9 After Alaska Airlines Incident

Renowned traveler influencer Brian Kelly, also known as “The Points Guy,” is cautioning flyers to avoid boarding a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft following a terrifying mid-flight blowout experienced by an Alaska Airlines jet on Friday. Kelly expressed his concerns in an Instagram Story on Monday, emphasizing the need for airlines to resolve the “installation issues” discovered on some Max 9s after the Alaska Airlines incident.

Loose Bolts Found on United Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max 9s

United Airlines, which operates a fleet of Boeing 737 Max models, recently reported finding loose bolts on certain aircraft, particularly around door plugs. This issue is similar to the one that caused a door plug to blow off during a California-bound Alaska Airlines flight. As a result, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) promptly grounded all Max 9s after the incident.

Passenger Safety Remains a Priority

The Alaska Airlines flight that encountered the blowout incident had previously experienced warning light indications of a potential pressurization problem on three separate flights. Consequently, Alaska Airlines restricted the aircraft from long flights over water to ensure it could quickly return to an airport if the warning light illuminated again. However, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not yet established a direct link between the warning light and the mid-flight blowout.

History of Boeing 737 Max Issues

Kelly highlighted the previous deadly incidents involving the Boeing 737 Max 8 model, which led to its grounding after two crashes in 2018 and 2019. Although the chances of another incident occurring are small, Kelly urged caution and suggested giving the Boeing 737 Max 9s some time to address their current issues. Additionally, he mentioned that he generally avoids flying on these aircraft due to their cramped seating.

Flight Cancellations and Grounded Aircraft

As a result of the recent incident, a total of 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 jets have been grounded. Alaska Airlines had to cancel 20% of its flights, while United Airlines canceled an additional 221 flights. It’s worth noting that no other US airlines operate this specific model.

With Post wires