Southwest doesn't expect to fly Max 8 planes until June

DALLAS, Texas - Southwest Airlines does not expect to fly the Boeing 737 Max 8 planes until June, a decision that comes as the Federal Aviation Administration said it will receive Boeing's software upgrades in the "coming weeks" for FAA approval. Southwest, the largest carrier at Hobby Airport, has 34 of the Max 8 planes in its fleet -- the largest of any U.S. airline, surpassing American Airlines' fleet of 24 Max 8 planes and United Airlines' fleet of 14 Max 9 planes, reports Andrea Leinfelder for the Houston Chronicle.

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The Intelligent Aerospace take:

April 3, 2019-The Boeing 737 MAX planes have been grounded since March 13 in the United States after the second deadly crash in five months occurred. The Federal Aviation Administration has noted Boeing needs time to ensure any issues with the avionics software have been addressed, and then the FAA will perform a safety review. With no firm date on the horizon for certification, carriers, including Southwest, are trying to fill gaps caused by the grounding of the MAX aircraft. Southwest has 34 of the jets in its fleet, the most of any American carrier. Because of the uncertainty surrounding the Boeing aircraft returning to the skies, Southwest does not plan on returning the MAX 8 to service until at least June.

Related: Boeing grounded: What it means for air travel

Related: The Boeing 737 MAX: Is the problem with the plane or the pilots?

Related: Deadly Boeing crashes raise questions about commercial aircraft avionics automation

Jamie Whitney, Associate Editor
Intelligent Aerospace

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