American Airlines announced over the weekend that it will charter five flights on the infamous Boeing 737 Max carrying only its own employees as part of a trial program. The FAA approved the fleet for a return to the airways in November following a 20-month hiatus that occurred after two fatal crashes that occurred in 2018 and 2019.
According to a report by View From The Wing, American Airlines is the first airline to announce that they will run test flights with Boeing’s 737 Max fleet to ensure their safety. The fleet was grounded by aviation authorities around the globe after two fatal crashes that occurred in 2018 and 2019.
American Airlines announced in a statement that it will be flying five 737 Max flights without commercial passengers prior to their official reintroduction into the airline’s aircraft inventory.
“We know that restoring our customers’ confidence in the 737 MAX starts with ensuring our own team members are comfortable,” the statement reads. “That’s why, leading up to the aircraft’s return to scheduled service Dec. 29, we’ll operate five 737 MAX flights, exclusively for team members.”
The flights are scheduled to take place between December 3 and December 17. The test flights will depart from Dallas, Miami, and New York City’s LaGuardia airport. Pilots will be required to participate in simulator training at facilities in Dallas and Miami. The training will reportedly simulate various scenarios, including the MCAS system failure that led to the two fatal crashes.
American Airlines also announced that they intend to have all of their pilots trained on the operation and safety features of the refreshed 737 Max fleet by the end of March 2021.
Breitbart News reported this month that multiple airlines will allow their customers to reschedule flights with no charge if they are uncomfortable flying on the 737 Max.