Alaska Airlines Emergency Landing Grounds Boeing 737 MAX 9 Planes, Resulting in Travel Disruptions
Travel disruptions arise as Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes face grounding following an Alaska Airlines emergency landing Delays and cancellations occurred after a panel and window incident on Friday
Several airlines faced delays over the weekend due to an emergency landing made by an Alaska Airlines flight on Friday. The Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft experienced a panel and window blowout, prompting a federal investigation and causing other airlines to ground parts of their fleets for safety reasons. Additionally, adverse weather conditions in the northeast may further complicate air travel delays.
On Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration mandated that airlines ground a significant number of their Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft for inspection. This directive will affect 171 planes globally. Despite some affected airlines having fleets of hundreds of planes, the temporary suspension of flights can still cause inconvenience for travelers as operators work to adjust their schedules.
CNN
An exceptionally powerful January storm will impact the US with nearly every winter weather threat imaginable
Rescheduling flights can be influenced by several factors, including the size of an airline's fleet and its reliance on specific aircraft. Airlines with larger fleets may find it easier to reassign planes to meet customer demand. Additionally, airports with the capacity to handle more aircraft are more likely to have replacement planes available. Alaska Airlines, for example, grounded its MAX 9 fleet to inspect the plug doors on all its jets. The "plug door" serves as a substitute for an emergency exit door on the fuselage.
The airline has canceled 160 flights as of Saturday evening, impacting about 23,000 guests. The disruption is expected to last at least until mid-week as the airline works to assist affected customers. United Airlines also reported that 180 of its 265 scheduled flights were canceled on Sunday, but they were able to salvage 85 flights by using alternate aircraft. All 79 MAX 9 aircraft in United's fleet are undergoing inspection to meet FAA regulations.
The company announced that they are currently assisting customers in finding alternative flights. Turkish Airlines confirmed that out of its 440 aircraft fleet, they have five MAX 9 planes and are currently undergoing a precautionary inspection of these aircraft. In a statement, spokesperson Yahya Ustun mentioned that Turkish Airlines has decided to temporarily ground all MAX 9 aircraft until the technical investigation process is concluded and the necessary measures are taken as requested by the authorities.
Panama-based Copa Airlines has announced the suspension of 21 MAX 9 planes in compliance with the FAA's directive. In a statement on Saturday, the airline stated, "Copa has initiated the necessary technical inspections and expects to return these aircraft safely and reliably to the flight schedule within the next 24 hours. The airline's team is working to minimize the impact on our passengers, although some delays and cancellations are expected due to this situation beyond the airline's control."
Alaska Airlines flight makes emergency landing in Oregon after window appears to have blown out after takeoff.
Kyle Rinker
The NTSB is seeking assistance in locating a section of an Alaska Airlines plane that detached mid-flight as investigations into the incident continue. According to aviation trial attorney Robert Clifford, the repercussions for Boeing will be significant and they may be responsible for compensating airlines for lost revenue.
Boeing needs to move beyond mere lip service and prioritize safety over profits. Currently, it appears that they prioritize speed to market and competitive advantage over safety. Boeing and Airbus collectively dominate over 90% of the commercial plane market share.
Boeing has not yet provided a response to CNN's request for comment.
Clifford is the main legal representative for the ongoing civil lawsuit against Boeing following the 737 MAX 8 plane crash in Ethiopia in March 2019, which resulted in the tragic deaths of all 157 passengers on board. This crash ultimately prompted the FAA to ground all 737 MAX planes for 20 months, as well as numerous other countries worldwide. Despite the MAX 8 crash being attributed to a software problem rather than the structural issues that caused the Alaska Airlines incident, Clifford contends that this event still raises significant public safety concerns.
The incident involving the Max 9 should prompt the aviation industry, especially government regulators, to assess whether allowing the Boeing Max 8 to return to flight was done too hastily as part of Boeing's efforts to resume operations. The repercussions were relatively minor as the plane was only at 16,000 feet, but the potential for disaster at higher altitudes is evident. Clifford emphasized the need for immediate action from the FAA and airlines to ground the flights, demonstrating their focus on identifying any potential defects in the fleet of Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft. The government is keen on avoiding a repeat of the tragedy involving the Max 8, and the potential for further issues must not be underestimated.
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNNs Sara Smart, Sharif Paget, Pete Muntean, Raja Razek contributed to this report.
