A prominent US airline has indicated its expectation of financial losses during the first quarter of the year due to the grounding of Boeing 737 Max 9 jets. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enforced the grounding of 171 of these aircraft after an incident where an unused door detached mid-flight.
United Airlines, possessing the largest fleet of 79 Boeing 737 Max 9 jets among all carriers, faces substantial disruptions along with Alaska Airlines, the second-largest carrier of this model. Both airlines have had to cancel numerous flights this month as inspections are conducted.
United Airlines anticipates the continued grounding of these planes until January 26, factoring in the possibility of not being able to operate them throughout this month. The grounding ensued after an Alaska Airlines flight from Portland to Ontario experienced an emergency descent when an unused emergency exit door detached at 16,000ft.
In response to the incident, the FAA has extended inspections to an older 737-900ER model, with United operating 136 of these aircraft. While the FAA did not mandate the grounding of these older models during inspections, it emphasized that safety, not speed, will determine when these aircraft can resume service.
Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, has pledged to enhance the quality of inspections in its manufacturing processes following the incident. The FAA’s emphasis on safety and thorough inspections may extend the timeline for returning these aircraft to service.
United reported flat pre-tax profits of $3.4 billion for the entirety of 2023, revealing the financial impact of the grounded planes. The airline is expected to provide further updates on the safety inspections during discussions with analysts and investors.
Both Alaska Airlines and Boeing are scheduled to release their financial results in the coming weeks, shedding more light on the overall impact of the Boeing 737 Max 9 grounding on the industry.
