A terrible incident involving Alaska Airlines on Friday (5), which left a hole in the side of a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, raised safety concerns and left many air travelers worried and fearful.
Investigators found a failure in a plug of the aircraft’s center door that came loose during the flight, leading the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to order all 737 Max 9 aircraft in the U.S. with the door plug feature to be grounded until they are thoroughly inspected.
Here’s what is known about the case so far:
How long will the planes be grounded?
The timeline for returning to service is unclear. Alaska Airlines acknowledged on Wednesday (10) that the Max 9 will not fly for at least a few more days and canceled all scheduled flights until Saturday (14). The cancellations total between 110 and 150 flights per day.
The FAA’s order applies to the U.S. What about operations of this model elsewhere?
The FAA has grounded 171 of the world’s 737 Max 9 aircraft. There are 215 in service.
Some international airlines operate Max 9s that are not affected because they do not have a plug in the aircraft’s center cabin door.
Aeromexico from Mexico and Copa Airlines from Panama are among the international carriers with the largest number of 737 Max 9 aircraft in their fleets. Aeromexico stated in a statement that it grounded its Max-9s over the weekend, in accordance with the FAA directive. Copa Airlines reported in an updated statement on Wednesday that operations of its 21 Max 9 aircraft remain suspended while the airline awaits further details on inspections.
Turkish Airlines, which has five Max 9 aircraft in its fleet of over 400 planes, stated that it will remove the aircraft from its fleet “until the technical investigation process is completed and the measures requested by the authorities are implemented.”
Although the FAA has no authority over the operation of aircraft owned by international carriers, these airlines often follow the agency’s guidelines.
How have flight operations been affected?
Hundreds of flights have been canceled since Friday at United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, the two U.S. airlines that operate 737 Max 9 aircraft.
The airlines have managed to accommodate some passengers on other aircraft, but flight cancellations are still impacting operations.
Copa and Aeromexico have also reported several cancellations in recent days, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
What should I do if my flight is canceled due to these cancellations?
First, you can get a refund.
“Under federal law, if an airline cancels or significantly changes your flight – regardless of the reason – you are entitled to a full cash refund if you choose not to travel,” said Scott Keyes, founder of the travel site Going, in an interview with CNN Travel.
If you still want to make the trip, “the airline will rebook you on a different flight,” Keyes said. “The easiest way to do this is through self-service via the airline’s mobile app, or you can call the airline and an agent will make a new reservation for you at no charge.”
The two U.S. airlines operating affected planes are offering limited-time refunds to some passengers.
“Currently, Alaska is allowing anyone scheduled to fly on a 737 MAX-9 until January 20 to receive a full refund if they choose not to travel. United is currently offering the same, but only until January 10,” Keyes said.
The burning question: Is it still safe to fly?
David Soucie, a former FAA safety inspector, is taking a wait-and-see approach while the investigation continues to identify the exact source of the problem.
“I haven’t made the decision not to fly on this aircraft if it returns to service,” he said in an interview with CNN.
“Our aviation system is the safest in the world. We are the gold standard of safety in our airspace, but we need to maintain it,” says Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board. “And when an event like this occurs, it’s up to us to closely observe what happened to ensure we maintain safety in the air.”
How can passengers know what type of plane they will be flying on?
Passengers can see what type of aircraft they will be flying on. Generally, when you purchase a ticket, the receipt indicates which aircraft you are scheduled to fly on (usually near the flight number).
But be prepared for last-minute changes, as aircraft swaps happen occasionally. In that case, passengers can use the tail number of the plane at the gate to check what type of aircraft they are boarding.
Source: CNN