The Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 which made an emergency landing on January 5, visible on the tarmac at Portland airport, January 23, 2024 (AFP/Patrick T. Fallon)
The ban on certain Boeing 737 MAX 9s in the United States is expected to weigh $150 million on the accounts of Alaska Airlines, one of whose planes suffered an in-flight incident in early January.
It plans a “gradual return” of its fleet – 65 aircraft concerned – to the air from Friday, and until the beginning of February, she said on Thursday.
This suspension “will have a material operational and financial impact on our activities, with approximately a third of our capacity in January affected,” said Ben Minicucci, boss of Alaska Airlines, during an audio conference with analysts.
The group estimates that 3,000 flights were canceled in January.
“In addition, we believe it is likely that the delivery of several aircraft will be delayed, which will further impact our capacity over the year as a whole,” he continued, recalling that he expected, at initially, an increase of 3% to 5% compared to 2023.
According to the group, in this context, it should only reach the bottom of this range.
On January 5, a cap holder in the cabin of one of its Boeing 737 MAX 9 flying from Portland (Oregon) to Ontario (California) came loose in flight.
Airlines have the possibility of blocking a door when the number of existing emergency exits is sufficient in relation to the number of seats on the aircraft. This modification has been made on 171 of the 218 Boeing 737 MAX 9s delivered to date.
In the process, the American aviation regulatory agency (FAA) suspended the aircraft thus configured from flying until further notice.
NTSB image provided January 8, 2024 of the missing door on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 (NTSB/AFP/Handout)
The regulator announced Wednesday evening that it had established a “vast” maintenance and inspection program to allow these planes to return to the air.
It includes in particular the verification of specific fixings as well as visual inspections of all cap holders and their components, and the repair of any damage or abnormal condition.
It is only once the established plan is completed, “that the aircraft will be able to return to service,” said the FAA, without giving a date.
– 12 hours by plane –
According to Alaska Airlines, these inspections require around twelve hours per aircraft.
Shortly after the FAA’s announcement Wednesday evening, the operational director of United Airlines – which has the largest fleet of this model (79 aircraft) – Toby Enqvist sent a message to the company’s staff.
The location of the missing emergency door of the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, covered with a plastic sheet at Portland Airport, January 23, 2024 (AFP/Patrick T. Fallon)
“We will only return each MAX 9 aircraft to service once the thorough inspection process is completed,” he assured. “We are preparing to resume aircraft service from Sunday,” he said.
By unveiling its results for the end of 2023 on Monday evening, the group announced that it anticipated a net loss in the first quarter of 2024 of between 35 and 85 cents per share with the assumption of a suspension of flights until January 31.
According to a spokesperson, the company canceled around 170 flights per day between January 6 and 27. The first scheduled flight is scheduled for Sunday but it is possible that a MAX 9 will be mobilized from Friday if necessary, he indicated.
For Scott Kirby, his boss, this suspension constitutes “the straw that broke the camel’s back”.
Tired of “the production problems which continue to arise at Boeing”, he announced on Tuesday the withdrawal of the 737 MAX 10 – the largest model in the 737 family, whose certification by the FAA is delayed – from the flight programs of United.
This aircraft made its first flight in June 2021.
United was counting on 277 MAX 10s by the end of the decade and its options for 200 more aircraft.
“It’s a fantastic plane, but we can’t count on it,” lamented Mr. Kirby.
The company Southwest echoed this on Thursday, indicating that it had not included the 737 MAX 7 in its flight plan for 2024, although it was expecting 27. It ordered 307 copies, for delivery until 2031.
The smallest of the 737 MAX family, it is also awaiting certification. It made its first flight in 2018.
According to its website, Boeing has received 391 gross orders for the MAX 7 and 1,180 for the MAX 10.
Around 6:15 p.m. GMT, Boeing shares fell 6.06% on the New York Stock Exchange – they have lost a fifth of their value since January 5. Southwest lost 0.61%, and Alaska and United gained 5.33% and 3.48% respectively.
© 2024 AFP
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