Alaska Airlines Resumes Flying Boeing 737 Max 9 Jets After Grounding
Alaska Airlines has announced that it has resumed flying its Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners after they were grounded due to a panel blowing out of one of the planes. The airline completed its final inspection of the aircraft and resumed flights with a trip from Seattle to San Diego.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the inspection and maintenance process to allow the planes to return to service. Alaska Airlines technicians began inspections immediately after receiving approval from the FAA.
Inspections are expected to be completed by the end of next week, allowing the airline to operate a full flight schedule. Each aircraft will undergo rigorous inspections to ensure they meet FAA requirements and are deemed airworthy.
In a written statement, Alaska Airlines stated, “Each of our 737-9 MAX will return to service only after the rigorous inspections are completed and each plane is deemed airworthy according to FAA requirements.”
The first United passenger flight on a Boeing MAX 9 since the panel incident departed from Newark, New Jersey, to Las Vegas with 175 passengers and six crew members.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Stan Deal expressed the company’s commitment to helping airlines restore operations. He also acknowledged the need for Boeing to improve its quality and regain the confidence of customers, regulators, and the flying public.
The FAA has outlined the inspection and repair process for the door plugs, which are panels used to seal holes for extra doors on the Max 9. These plugs are necessary when additional exits are required for safety reasons due to a high number of seats.
Alaska Airlines took immediate action and grounded all 65 of its Max 9 jets after the incident on flight 1282. The FAA subsequently grounded all Max 9s in the U.S. No serious injuries were reported from the incident.
In conclusion, Alaska Airlines has resumed flying its Boeing 737 Max 9 jets after completing inspections and ensuring they meet FAA requirements. The airline is committed to maintaining safety and regaining the trust of its customers and the public.