Alaska Airlines Resumes 737 Max 9 Service After Safety Inspections
Alaska Airlines is set to resume service of its 737 Max 9 fleet after completing safety inspections on its aircraft. The carrier announced that its first group of 737 Max 9 planes have undergone rigorous inspections and are now deemed airworthy according to FAA requirements. The resumption of service comes just days after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved a detailed inspection and maintenance process for all 171 of Boeing’s Max 9s with plug doors.
The nationwide grounding of the 737 Max 9 was initiated by the FAA after an Alaska Airlines flight experienced a mid-flight incident where a door plug panel was lost. This incident led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights by Alaska and United, the two U.S. carriers operating the Max 9.
Alaska Airlines technicians began the inspections immediately following the FAA’s approval. The airline expects to complete the inspection of all 65 of its 737 Max 9 planes by the end of next week, allowing it to operate a full flight schedule. Each inspection is estimated to take up to 12 hours per aircraft.
United Airlines, which also operates the Max 9, has stated that its fleet of approximately 79 planes is scheduled to return to service on Sunday. However, they may be used as spares before then.
The FAA has emphasized that after completing the enhanced maintenance and inspection process, the door plugs on the 737 Max 9 will be in compliance with the original design and deemed safe to operate. However, the agency is still conducting investigations into Boeing’s manufacturing practices and production lines, including subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems.
As part of its efforts to increase oversight of Boeing’s production lines, the FAA has outlined a series of actions. The agency has made it clear that it will not approve any request from Boeing for an expansion in production or additional production lines for the 737 Max until it is satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during the investigation are resolved.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker expressed his dissatisfaction with the quality assurance issues, stating that they are unacceptable. The FAA plans to closely scrutinize and monitor production and manufacturing activities by having more personnel on the ground.
The resumption of service for Alaska Airlines’ 737 Max 9 fleet marks an important milestone in the recovery of the aircraft model. With the completion of thorough inspections and adherence to FAA requirements, passengers can have confidence in the safety of these planes as they return to the skies. The ongoing investigations into Boeing’s manufacturing practices will ensure that necessary improvements are made to prevent similar incidents in the future.