Southwest Extends the Grounding of Boeing 737 Max Jets

Southwest Airlines announced this week that it has removed the Boeing 737 Max Jets from its schedule all the way until September 2nd, making it a month longer than had been anticipated.

Previously the airline had grounded the jets until August 5th.

The planes have been grounded since March after a deadly Ethiopian plane crash became the second fatal plane crash in just months that involved the plane.

Aviation authorities have not indicated when the jets would fly again.

“With the timing of the MAX’s return-to-service still uncertain, we are again revising our plans to remove the MAX from our schedule through Sept. 2,” Southwest stated.

American Airlines also recently extended its cancellations due to the Boeing 737 grounding through Sept. 3rd. Previously the airline had aimed for August 19th.

American’s CEO Doug Parker said the airline had removed the planes from the schedule because pilots and flight attendants were about to set up their schedules for that time period and “we still don’t have certainty as to when the aircraft will be back to service.”

Parker assured that company management team thinks it’s “highly likely” that the plane will be flying by Sept. 3rd.
“Because we haven’t been able to sell those seats yet, we can use that time for things such as myself and other members of management and pilots to go fly the aircraft,” said Parker. “Those types of things, I think, will help.”

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies discussed and have not been compensated for this article.