Alaska Airlines has announced the extension of the cancellation of all flights on Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft through Saturday following the recent incident where an exit door flew off one of its planes mid-flight. This decision results in 110 to 150 fewer flights per day for the airline as it awaits necessary documentation to begin inspections of the affected jetliners.
The airline emphasized that it awaits instructions for the inspection of the aircraft, approved by Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), before resuming operations. The safety of employees and passengers remains the highest priority, and Alaska Airlines will only return the aircraft to service once all findings are fully resolved and meet both FAA and the airline’s stringent standards.
Boeing is updating its instructions for inspections after receiving feedback on the initial set issued, with the FAA set to review the revised instructions. United Airlines, the only other U.S. airline operating Boeing 737 Max 9s, has also canceled flights in response to the incident. Both airlines are taking precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of passengers and comply with regulatory standards.
