In a significant shift, Southwest has opted to exclude the Boeing Max 7 plane from its operational plans for the current year.
This decision aligns with the actions of Alaska and United, both of which are making provisions for passengers who harbour reservations about boarding the recently scrutinized Max 9 aircraft.
The online travel platform Kayak now features a filter option empowering users to eliminate specific planes from their travel preferences. Following an incident on January 6, where the door plugs detached from an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, Kayak observed a staggering 15-fold surge in searches to exclude the Max 9 from travel itineraries.
Assuring passenger comfort, Alaska and United affirm their commitment to working directly with customers who express unease about flying on a Max 9.
Meanwhile, Southwest has declared its decision to exclude the 737 Max 7 from its fleet plans this year. Consequently, Southwest’s projected Max deliveries for the year have been revised from 85 to 79. This development follows United’s recent announcement of removing the Max 10 from its operational plans.
It’s crucial to note that certification is still pending for both the Max 7 and Max 10 aircraft. With Boeing under stringent scrutiny by the FAA, there exists no definitive timeline for the certification of these planes.
This year was anticipated to be pivotal for Boeing and its Max production. However, the FAA has imposed restrictions on Boeing’s expansion of Max models — 7, 8, 9, and 10 — until their production aligns with the agency’s exacting standards for quality and safety.
