United, American Airlines Join Southwest In Extending Boeing 737 MAX Flights Ban

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th February, 2020) Two more major US airlines have further delayed the return to commercial service of their fleets of Boeing 737 MAX airplanes until August and September, American Airlines and United Airlines said in separate statements.

"Based on the latest guidance, the airline anticipates that the resumption of scheduled commercial service on American's fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will occur August 18, 2020, American Airlines said in a news release on Friday.

Also on Friday, United Airlines stated it would extend its own ban on operating the 737 MAX until September 4.

The two statements followed the announcement by Southwest Airlines, the other major US carrier that operates the 737 MAX, that it would extend its own moratorium on using it for passenger flights through the peak summer travel season through August 10.

Two 737 MAX airliners crashed in Indonesia and Ethiopia in less than five months, killing all 346 people on board and software programming problems were identified as the Primary cause.

Boeing has since uncovered other issues needing to be dealt with and the scheduling of a certification flight for US authorities has been repeatedly delayed.