Washington: The American Airlines on Sunday announced an extension on its ban on Boeing 737 MAX flights until November.
“American Airlines remains confident that impending software updates to the Boeing 737 MAX, along with the new training elements Boeing is developing in coordination with our union partners, will lead to recertification of the aircraft this year,” the airlines said in an official press statement.
“American (Airlines) is extending cancellations for the MAX through Nov. 2. By doing so, our customers and team members can more reliably plan their upcoming travel on American. In total, approximately 115 flights per day will be cancelled through November 2,” they added.
United Airlines had earlier announced that it was keeping the Boeing 737 MAX flights off its schedule until November 3. More than 8,000 United Airlines flights will face cancellations in the period from July to October, according to Sputnik.
The specific make of Boeing jets was grounded after two 737 MAX aircraft crashed within months of each other — the October 2018 Lion Air crash and the March 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash. Over 340 people, including crewmembers and pilots, lost their lives in the two mishaps caused due to flaws in the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System.
The aircraft manufacturer is currently working on fixing all the faults with the model.