KUALA LUMPUR – More airlines are returning their grounded Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes to the air following the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) release of a list of actions to deal with door plugs on the model.
Besides Alaska Airlines, which operated its first MAX 9 flight yesterday after the grounding, United Airlines, Copa Airlines and Aeromexico have also announced the return of their grounded MAX 9 planes.
United is to return the aircraft to service on January 28.
On January 24, the FAA issued a set of specific actions to deal with door plug fasteners on the MAX 9. The actions were determined after data was collected from 40 inspections of grounded plans.
Airlines will be required to inspect specific bolts and a list of other fittings and components and correct any damage found.
United and Alaska Airlines are the only two US carriers that use the MAX 9 and account for two-thirds of the 215 models currently in service worldwide, according to airline analytics company Cirium.
The FAA’s grounding of the planes in the United States followed the January 5 incident where the door plug of an Alaska Airlines Max 9 plane blew out, causing a large hole in the side of the fuselage and decompression in the passenger cabin.
The plane, destined for Ontario, California, made an emergency landing in Portland 20 minutes after taking off, with all 171 passengers and six crew members safe, although some had minor injuries. – January 27, 2024