American Airlines is planning to reenter the Boeing 737 MAX to service from December 29th. Leading up to the highly-anticipated return, the carrier is planning to perform five flights with the plane exclusively for its employees.
Preparing the team
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this month reinstated the Boeing 737 MAX’s operating certificate. This move follows one year and eight months of grounding after two fatal accidents. Above all, the approval gives carriers the go-ahead to prepare to return the jet in the air for commercial operations.
According to View from the Wing, staff members of the Texan outfit, its wholly-owned regional carriers, and the American Airlines Credit Union are being invited to take one of the special flights. American Airlines understands the importance of communication amid the return of the jet. Subsequently, it has been putting initiatives in place to help with the reintroduction process.
The schedule
The flights will fly out of Dallas/Fort Worth, New York LaGuardia, and Miami. This is because after reintroduction, the MAX will initially be Miami-based and the first flights will be to-and-from LaGuardia. Meanwhile, American is based at Dallas/Fort Worth. The aircraft will land at the airports they departed from with the preceding employee flights.
The first flight will leave Dallas on December 3rd. After that, a trip will depart from Miami on December 8th. There will be two flights from New York on December 9th and 15th before a final takeoff from Miami on December 17th.
Important initiatives
Simple Flying reached out to American Airlines for comment on its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft flights. A spokesperson for the airline shared that safety is the top priority for the carrier.
Ultimately, it is at the center of every decision that it makes. The representative added that it is with this standard and commitment that the firm will return the Boeing 737 MAX to service now that the aircraft has been recertified by the FAA.
Altogether, the airline knows that restoring its customers’ confidence in the 737 MAX starts with ensuring that its own team members are comfortable. This is why leading up to the aircraft’s return to scheduled service on December 29th, it’ll operate five flights with the plane exclusively for team members.
There have been other measures in place ahead of the jet’s reentry to service. For instance, the operator has been planning to conduct tours of its type. Next month will undoubtedly be interesting as the plane finally returns to passenger operations after being grounded since March 2019.
This article originally appeared on Simple Flying