Christmas has come early for Boeing: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared the 737 MAX to return to commercial service—nearly two years after every one of the narrow-body jets in the world were grounded following two fatal crashes.
This means that airlines can fly the MAX again—but it won’t happen immediately. They must first install mandated upgrades to the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) flight control software and provide their pilots with simulator training on the software. MCAS malfunctions resulted in two fatal crashes within six months, resulting in hundreds of lives lost and a worldwide grounding of the jet.
Three U.S. airlines operate the 737s in American airspace—American, Southwest, and United. And they’ll have to deal with a nervous public. The companies have all indicated that they’ll inform passengers that they will be flying on a MAX aircraft for transparency. And if passengers are uncomfortable with flying on a MAX plane, the airlines have promised to accommodate any itinerary changes.
American Airlines will operate the first flight of the new and improved MAX, from Miami to New York on December 29. United will reincorporate its 14 aircraft in the first quarter of next year, while Southwest—which has the most MAXs at 34—will slowly reintroduce its planes in the second quarter of 2021.
Another bright spot for Boeing: Alaska Airlines announced that it would lease an additional 13 MAXs, in addition to the 32 it has ordered from the plane maker—a sign that airlines still feel confident in what Alaska CEO calls “the most efficient narrow-body aircraft available.”
The 737 debacle has shaken global confidence in the FAA—and as a result, other jurisdictions aren’t keen to take the U.S. agency’s word for it. Common practice among global regulators has been to follow the lead of the regulator of the plane’s home country in certifying an aircraft. But regulators aren’t following that practice for the MAX.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) intends to certify the aircraft—but not until 2021, and it has asked for a third angle-of-attack sensor.
Canada has signaled that it will also require additional measures before it clears the jet. “There will be differences between what the FAA has approved today, and what Canada will require for its operators,” said Minister of Transport Marc Garneau. “These differences will include additional procedures on the flight deck and pre-flight, as well as differences in training.”
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is in no hurry to certify the plane either, stating that there is no target date for clearing the MAX. The CAAC was the first regulator to ground the aircraft. Chinese airlines own nearly 100 of the planes—making the country an important market for the 737, but also raising the stakes to ensure that the plane is safe.
India has also said that it’s not ready to approve the MAX. “We will study (the FAA approval order) and react,” said a senior official. “It will take some time.”
FAA recertification is a major step forward for Boeing—but the reluctance of other regulatory bodies points to how much this crisis has damaged the agency’s reputation around the world, and suggests that there could be additional obstacles for the company to get its plane back in the air in other parts of the world.
In addition, Boeing will still have to address the ongoing fallout of the fatal crashes that grounded its best-selling plane. The U.S. Justice Department is still conducting a criminal investigation of the crashes, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has also started its own investigation.
Read more about the FAA’s requirements to reinstate the aircraft at More Details on the FAA’s Fix-It List for the 737 MAX.