Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets could resume operations by the upcoming weekend, as stated by major U.S. carriers Alaska and United Airlines. These aircraft have been grounded since a door plug incident occurred during an Alaska Airlines flight earlier this month. The incident caused a significant hole in the side of the aircraft mid-flight. Thankfully, the skilled pilots were able to perform a safe landing. According to a person familiar with the matter, the door plug had been opened and reinstalled by workers at a Boeing factory due to a rig issue, about a month before the MAX 9 was delivered to Alaska Airlines in October.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recently cleared the path for the return of the Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes to service, pending a series of inspections. The FAA has ensured that the grounding of these aircraft, which lasted for 19 days, has come to an end. The decision was based on a thorough review of data provided by Boeing and the airlines, with around a quarter of the U.S. fleet of MAX 9 aircraft being assessed. However, individual airlines must conduct final checks on each plane before resuming operations.
