It took American, American and Southwestern weeks, if not months, the plane returned to work and convinced tourists of its safety.
The Federal Aviation Administration has lifted its ban on the Boeing 737 Max, which allowed the plane to return to the sky after being on land for more than 20 months after crashing in Indonesia and Ethiopia killing 346 people.
This is a moment of water flow for Boeing, which has suffered huge losses from both the runway and the global travel slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Up on the runway, Max's single lane, with up to 230 seats, is a short-distance and intermediate workforce. But the lifting of the ban raises some questions about what will happen next.
When will Max's flight resume?
A large number of tourists will not find Max in the near future.
The F.A.A. you have not yet passed the pilot training procedure for the US airline flying Max. The aircraft needs to be updated with new software and wiring. And airlines hit by a slight decline in travel have no incentive to act immediately.
American Airlines is expected to be the first airline to fly Max, with plans to use the aircraft from December 29 to January 4 for flights connecting Miami International Airport and La Guardia Airport in New York. The airline aims to improve services in January, using Max to 36 flights from Miami in one day, according to a letter from U.S. executives to employees.
United Airlines says it will start using Max in the first quarter of 2021, waiting for more than 1,000 hours of work on each aircraft, pilot training and flight test results and its own analysis.
And Southwest Airlines, a major customer of Boeing, which operates a fleet of 737s, says it will take longer to get its 34 Max jets back into operation. In a letter to employees, the airline's CEO, Gary Kelly, said Southwest would not operate Max until the second quarter of the new year, and not until he and many other top executives flew on the plane.
Alaska Airlines has several Max aircraft booked and is expected to receive its first aircraft in January, with service starting in March.
Delta Air Lines, another major national airline, does not fly with Max.
Is it safe?
Max's lifting of the ban occurred after nearly two years of in-depth scrutiny of aircraft in the press, in Congress, by the F.A.A. and aviation authorities worldwide.
Stephen Dickson, director of the F.A.A. And the former airline pilot, he took control of a test flight in September and said he liked what he saw. After the F.A.A. upon landing, he said he was confident the proposed changes to the aircraft would address safety concerns.
"The road to this point is long and tiring, but we said from the beginning that we will take the time to fix it," he said in a video message. "I feel 100% comfortable with my family flying in it."
Before the aircraft can fly again, the ship software known as MCAS, which is blamed for pushing the plane down in both accidents, will be reviewed and the pilot will be retrained. Each Southwest pilot, for example, will receive training in one of the airline's nine 737 Max simulators.
The Air Line Pilots Association, a union representing nearly 60,000 pilots in North America, including from Delta and United, expressed confidence in the changes ordered by the FAA, saying in a statement that the group "believes that engineering improves aviation." strong and will be an effective component leading to security back to the 737 Max service. "
Who will fly?
There is no doubt that many tourists will hesitate to fly above Max, but many experts argue that it will not be long to regain confidence.
The airline intends to demonstrate aircraft safety, convincing customers that they are reviewing their own availability. United says it will conduct "additional pilot training, many flight tests and thorough technical analysis to ensure the aircraft is ready to fly."
But the outbreak has removed some of the pressure so that the aircraft can fly quickly and create opportunities. With so few people traveling, airlines are able to gradually reintroduce the aircraft without neglecting much business, giving them time to show tourists who have not yet decided that the plane can fly without incident. And analysts believe that a few months without major problems will be able to overcome doubts.
If the past has clues, they may be correct. In 2013, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was grounded for four months worldwide for smoking lithium-ion batteries in two separate incidents. Passengers were nervous about flying for a while, but Boeing was able to overcome the crisis quickly, and now the Dreamliner is essential for international routes operated by many airlines.
And other countries?
F.A.A. it paves the way for airlines to fly Max in the United States, but other aviation authorities must issue similar decisions before they can operate elsewhere. Many are expected to follow it quickly, but some may take the time and impose their own needs.
Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau said his agency was still conducting its own study.
"We hope this process can be completed soon," he said. “Still, there will be a difference between what the F.A.A. has been approved today, and what Canada wants for operators.