After being immobilized for 20 months, the Boeing 737 MAX made its big return to the United States on Tuesday, December 29. The device was used on an American Airlines flight between Miami and New York, with around 100 passengers on board. Miami airport, where screens had displayed the return to the American sky of the 737 MAX, rolled out the red carpet for the arrival of this aircraft, whose flight ban was lifted in mid-November.
The 737 MAX “is an aircraft that has been scrutinized more than any before. We are convinced that this plane is the safest in the sky, ”American Airlines number two Robert Isom told Miami Airport. A little more than a month after the green light from the American authorities, the star Boeing plane therefore made its first commercial flight in the American sky since March 10, 2019. However, it was the Brazilian low-cost company Gol which had been the first in the world to fly the star Boeing plane on December 9 between São Paulo and Porto Alegre.
An unprecedented crisis
This first commercial flight in the United States, country of Boeing, marks a brightening in the sky of the aircraft manufacturer. It is indeed facing an unprecedented crisis since this plane was grounded after two accidents which left 346 dead, Lion Air in October 2018 (189 dead) and Ethiopian Airlines in March 2019 (157 dead). Doubts about the aircraft’s reliability had led many airlines around the world to cancel their orders. Then the Covid-19 crisis, which heavily penalizes the aviation sector, hit the nail on the head.
U.S. officials cleared the 737 MAX for re-flight on Nov. 18 after months of inspection and revelations of the chaotic development and certification of the aircraft, which accounted for the bulk of Boeing’s pre-crash profits. But its effective return to service takes time because it is necessary to re-train the pilots and check the aircraft, which have spent 20 months on the ground. For the families of the victims, however, the aircraft should never have been allowed to fly again. “Avoid it, don’t buy a ticket that could be a one-way ticket,” relatives of people who died in the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX said in a statement.
An engine problem during a test flight
On December 25, an Air Canada 737 MAX, which was on a test flight between Arizona (United States) and Montreal with three crew members on board, experienced an engine problem that forced it to land shortly after takeoff. United Airlines and Southwest, the 737 MAX’s biggest customer before the crashes, do not plan to resume flights until 2021. The first plans the first commercial flight on US soil on February 11, while the other talks about the second quarter of 2021 .
If it has obtained the green light from the United States and Brazil, the MAX is still awaiting the decision of other civil aviation authorities across the globe. The European Union and Canada are expected to vote next year and are looking for a return to service of the aircraft. An unknown remains on the decision of China, one of the most important aeronautical markets in the world.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
