United Airlines Finds Loose Bolts on Some Of Its Boeing 737 MAX

Source: NTSB Newsroom

United Airlines reported the discovery of loose bolts on the door plugs of their Boeing 737 Max 9 jets, which have been grounded since the midair blowout incident involving Alaska Airlines. Both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, major US operators of the Boeing 737 Max 9, had to cancel 342 flights on Monday due to the ongoing grounding, causing significant disruptions to their schedules.

Alaska Airlines flight AS1282 from Portland to Ontario 

According to RadarBox data, 138 Alaska flights were canceled on Monday, representing 20% of its schedule. The cancellations followed the substantial impact of the 737 Max 9 grounding on the airline's operations on Sunday, during which approximately 170 flights were canceled, as stated in an Alaska Air statement.

With 65 of the affected aircraft in its fleet, Alaska Airlines stated that it cannot return the planes to service until the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides details on how to inspect the planes.

"While we await the airworthiness directive inspection criteria from the FAA and Boeing, our maintenance teams are prepared and ready to perform the required inspections," the airline mentioned in a statement.

Alaska also indicated cancellations would persist through the first half of the week, advising passengers with travel plans to check their email and alaskaair.com for updates regularly.

United Airlines, another major US operator of the 737 Max 9, experienced significant disruption on Monday, with 204 flights canceled, constituting approximately 7% of its schedule. United has 79 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft in its fleet, with the grounding leading to 60 cancellations on Sunday. Additionally, travelers had to contend with winter weather over the weekend, further disrupting air travel.

The FAA mandated the grounding of all 737 Max 9 aircraft following an Alaska flight's emergency landing on Friday due to a panel and window blowing out mid-flight. A federal investigation has been initiated.

The FAA's grounding directive is expected to impact 171 planes globally. Despite some affected airlines having fleets comprising hundreds of planes, temporary flight suspensions can still strain travelers as operators work urgently to address scheduling issues.

Various factors influence the rescheduling process. Airlines with larger fleets generally have an easier time rearranging aircraft to meet customer demand. In comparison, those with smaller fleets or greater reliance on the affected planes may face more significant challenges. Location also plays a role, as airports capable of supporting more aircraft are more likely to have spare planes to replace the grounded ones.