United and Alaska Airlines Ground Boeing 737-9 Flights for Inspections After Midair Incident

United and Alaska Airlines canceled nearly 400 flights on Sunday Jan. 7 as they commenced inspections of their Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft fleets. This move follows a concerning incident where a section of an Alaska Airlines plane’s fuselage detached mid-flight, sending ripples through the aviation industry.

Alaska Airlines canceled approximately one-fifth of its flights, totaling about 163, while United Airlines halted 236 flights, equating to 9% of its daily schedule, as per FlightAware data recorded at noon ET on Sunday.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a grounding of about 171 737 9 aircraft on Saturday, necessitating immediate inspections after the midair fuselage loss. United, holding the largest fleet of 737-9 jets with 79 aircraft, and Alaska Airlines are the only two U.S. carriers operating this specific model of the 737 – Boeing’s best-selling aircraft model, offered in four variants from the -7 to the -10.

This FAA directive has extended its impact to international airlines operating the 737-9. Following the FAA’s decision, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) also grounded Boeing 737-9s equipped with the same “door plug” configuration as the Alaska Airlines fleet. Although no European airline currently operates the 737-9 in this configuration, the grounding has affected airlines that have chosen to use this section for additional seating or an emergency exit.

The FAA’s emergency mandate applies not only to U.S. airlines but also to 737-9s flying into U.S. airspace. This regulation has led Panama’s Copa Airlines, the third-largest operator of the jet, to ground 21 of its 29 737-9s for inspections. Turkish Airlines has also suspended flights of its five 737-9 aircraft, as confirmed by spokesman Yahya Ustun on Saturday Jan. 6.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, themessenger.com