American Airlines is set to bri back its Boeing 737 Max jets into service in December if the aircraft is recertified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Even if the Federal Aviation Administration has yet to grant its approval, American Airlines is already making plans ahead of time for the return of the troubled commercial airplane model in an effort to hopefully recoup some of its losses.
On Sunday, American Airlines announced that it plans to phase in the jets for use in passenger flights starting Dec. 29 through Jan. 4. It plans to start with once-a-day flights to and from Miami and New York. Depending on the performance of the jets, the airline said that it will consider extending the use of the aircraft beyond that time period.
"We remain in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing on the certification process and we'll continue to update our plans based on when the aircraft is certified," Boeing said in a statement.
The airline did clarify that its planned return-to-service dates could change depending on the outcome of the Federal Aviation Administration's recertification process. All of American Airlines 737 Max jets have been in storage since March of last year, following an order by regulators to ground all 737 aircraft pending an investigation into the two fatal crashes that killed 364 people.
According to American Airlines, passengers will be able to start booking their flights for the Miami-New York route starting Oct. 24. The company said that all passengers will be notified ahead of time that they will be flying on Boeing's 737 Max. Those who feel uncomfortable flying on the particular aircraft model can opt to book other flights if necessary.
The announcement comes just days after American Airline announced plans to move ahead of major job cuts amid failed negotiations for federal aid. The airline is expected to release its latest quarter's earnings report Oct. 22. For the first half of the year, the company reported a $5 billion loss as a result of the pandemic. American Airlines is expected to still report a substantial loss for its latest quarter as the industry has yet to fully recover in the United States.
