More than a thousand flights that were designated to flow using the aircraft of Boeing 737 Max have been cancelled in the recent days and still counting. This is due to the unprecedented grounding of Boeing 737 Max due to operation and technical glitches.
Why Is The Boeing 737 Max Grounded?
A lion air flight and Ethiopian air flight were crashed at the beginning of the year which was attributed to the issues that had arisen in the onboard computer system. The casualty led to the aircraft being grounded due to more than three hundred people losing their lives in the crashes.
Which Of The Airlines Has Been Affected?
- Southwest Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines all have cancelled their flights that we booked on the aircraft of the Boeing 737 Max. Although the Aviation authorities made the decision of grounding planes due to the plane crashes at the beginning of the year, yet flights continued to be made a reservation for. Southwest airlines had thirty-four Boeing 737 Max aircraft in its fleet which was to be flown till October, but have now annulled the reservations on all those flights. According to the officials of the company, due to the proactive removal of Boeing 737 Max from operations, unexpected last-minute cancellations and disruptions can be avoided. More than 150 daily flights would have to bear the brunt of this catastrophe. The company has also made provisions for the customers to change the flight itineraries without paying any extra cost.
- On similar lines, United Airlines has 14 aircraft of Boeing 737 Max in their fleet and have taken the decision to cancel all the flights till September. This data roughly amounts to around 1300 flights in July and 1900 flights in the month of August. The company has made travel arrangements for customers on alternate flights while in cases where alternate arrangements are not possible, other possible options are being sought after.
- American airlines have a whopping 115 Boeing 737 Max aircrafts which are part of the crew and plan to cancel all the flights through September. The customers which have been affected by the cancellation of flights shall be given the option to receive a complete refund of their flight bookings.
What Does Boeing Have To Say?
Boeing said that it is taking strides towards ensuring the safety of Boeing 737 Max and making sure that the confidence of the customers is rekindled in the carrier that can bring it back to operations.
How Can Customers Avoid Travelling On Boeing 737 Max?
Customers while booking the flight should be aware of the type of aircraft carrier that they are making reservations for. Many of the flight booking websites show this data. Hence it is in the hands of the customer to steer clear of any reservations in the Boeing 737 Max. Customers can adopt a safe side by choosing to ditch carriers that have Boeing 737 Max included in their fleet.
What Are The Repercussions?
Summers are a peak time for travelling and the paucity of airplanes could lead to high airfares that can burn a hole in the pocket of the customer. Although there are slim hopes of a drop in prices due to dynamic pricing in flights, yet the chances are too less. The grounding of Boeing 737 Max could have complications for low-cost airlines and lead to jeopardizing the new routes of travel.
