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Southwest Keeps 737 MAX Off Schedule Into September

Zach Wichter
Zach Wichter
Aviation Industry Reporter
Zach has been interested in things that go since he was a kid. He previously worked at The New York Times and spent much of his time there covering the aviation industry, including contributing to the paper’s reporting on the 737 Max crisis at Boeing. He grew up in Bethpage, on Long Island, and graduated from Northwestern University in 2013 where he majored in journalism and gender and sexuality studies.
June 13, 2019
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1 min read
US-AVIATION-BOEING
Southwest Keeps 737 MAX Off Schedule Into September
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Southwest Airlines will keep the 737 MAX off its schedule through Labor Day. The largest US domestic carrier joins the world's largest airline, American, in extending its grounding expectations for the aircraft.

The airline is now set to reintroduce the MAX to its schedule on September 2.

In a statement on Thursday, Southwest said that the decision was made in an effort to provide clarity for its passengers, even as the industry faces uncertainty from regulators about exactly when the workhorse jet will be allowed to return to the skies.

"By proactively removing the MAX from scheduled service, we can reduce last-minute flight cancellations and unexpected disruptions to our customers' travel plans," the statement said. "We are encouraged by the reported progress and proposed path forward for returning the aircraft to service, and we remain confident that, once certified by the FAA, the enhancements will support the safe operation of the MAX."

Boeing's 737 MAXes have been grounded globally since March over safety concerns following two fatal accidents involving the jets.

Featured image by AFP/Getty Images