After nearly two years on the ground, Boeing’s 737 MAX is once again becoming an increasing appearance. This is especially evident in the US, where four airlines have flown this type of aircraft since the reaffirmation. This week, Simple Flying had the chance to speak with Bryce Rea, who flew as a passenger on each of these milestone trips.
After reaffirmation return to service
Last November, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) became the first authority to grant MAX recertification. This put an end to a 20-month period forced by the accidents of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which had striking similarities.
Despite this, the US was not the first country to see the type return to commercial service. It took place in Brazil, where the cheap carrier GOL flew the first MAX flights in the world on 9 December.
Since the FAA’s re-ratification, four US airlines have flown the MAX: Alaska Airlines, American, Southwest and United. Bryce Rea, who runs the YouTube channel Skylite Productions, was a passenger in all of these sectors and shared his experiences with us.
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The ground period and reaffirmation was a long and difficult process for Boeing. However, Rea is confident that the manufacturer and the FAA have made good use of their time. He says:
‘Now that the reaffirmation process has been completed and the aircraft has been cleaned to fly again, I am confident that the FAA’s process was thorough and addressed the issues that needed to be resolved. It is also worth mentioning that the airlines have also invested heavily in this aircraft. ”
Predation of MAX Operations in the US
It is of course important to remember that all of these carriers, except Alaska Airlines, had already flown with the MAX before it was grounded. Indeed, Bryce has flown this type once, from Miami to New York LaGuardia in June 2018. He notes that:
‘This was the original route on which American launched the aircraft on November 29, 2017. Interestingly, we never made it to LaGuardia as we relocated to Charlotte-Douglas International. The diversion was not due to a plane error, but a medical emergency for passengers. ”
Transparency during discussion
Despite the successful reaffirmation of the MAX, some passengers may still be wary of the aircraft. As such, carriers have taken steps to notify passengers on MAX services that the type will operate their flights. This is already evident in the discussion phase, as Bryce explained.
‘It was clear to all four airlines that you had booked a flight with a 737 MAX. I specifically booked these flights, but even a passenger who knew little about commercial aircraft would have realized that they were booking a flight on a MAX. All four airlines were ultra transparent during the booking. ”
Rea, for example, notes that American includes a note about the MAX at the top of the discussion each time it is opened on the airline’s website or app. There was perhaps a particular emphasis on the American, as it was the first American airline carrier to reintroduce the MAX. The first flight after the re-launch with the type will fly on December 29 from Miami to LaGuardia.
Alaska and American stand out
Although all four airlines were just as transparent during the booking process, their levels differed slightly in the flights themselves. Two carriers stand out for Bryce, who notes:
‘Both Americans and Alaska made several announcements at the gate, all announcing that their flight was being operated by a 737 MAX. They also all told that if they were to fly awkwardly with a Max, they would love to move them to another flight. ‘
As we have established, one would expect American as the first carrier to be conspicuous about the presence of the MAX. Interestingly, Rea also notes that Alaska Airlines made a special effort.
However, this is also understandable, as his MAX flight was the first with the type, let alone in the era after the recertification. The carrier’s first MAX service flew from Seattle to San Diego on March 1. Bryce reports that Alaska also “had two captains in the cockpit, who urged their director of flight standards and naval captain ” for the occasion.
Less noticeable on Suidwes and United
On the other hand, Rea says it has been a very muted issue for Southwest and United States. Suidwes’ first MAX flight after the re-ratification took place recently when it flew from Denver to Chicago on March 11. Meanwhile, United had joined the party exactly a month earlier, flying its first MAX service from Denver to Houston after re-launch. Comments:
‘Aside from both airlines once quickly announcing that this was their first MAX flight since landing, I never heard any other announcements about the plane or the passengers’ ability to switch to another flight. On the United flight, the fact that we flew with a MAX is only mentioned on board after we landed in Houston. ”
A successful re-introduction across the board
Despite the carriers ‘different approaches, Bryce told Simple Flying:’all four flights went smoothly. In the end, it was four American flights, and once you got to the cameras, it was just like any other flight. This is good news for MAX operators, who surely want the aircraft to be just as safe and comfortable as any other.
While it’s about passenger comfort, it’s also something that touched on Rea. He states that “with the new Boeing Sky interiors and their distinctive mood lighting and greater overhead, you could see it was a new, more modern aircraft. ‘ That said, Bryce notes that airlines can adapt older 737s with these aspects, making it harder to distinguish internally.
After traveling on these four flights, Rea hopes his Skylite Productions videos will help build confidence in the MAX. As someone who regularly receives comments from people with a fear of flying, who uses his videos to get used to aviation, Bryce says:
‘I wish people who were still hesitant about the MAX could see the videos and see that these flights were just like any other commercial flight they would normally take. Flying on the MAX is just as smooth and uneventful as any other flight, on any other aircraft. ”
After the type was successfully reintroduced, or in the case of Alaska, the US airline increasingly increased its MAX operations. This will hopefully mark the beginning of a bright period for Boeing and close the book over a difficult few years. Bryce Rea echoes these sentiments and says: ‘I feel that this is the conclusion of the ‘grounding’ chapter, and that it is further and upwards for the Boeing 737 MAX. ”
What do you think about the 737 MAX’s return to service in the US? Did you fly on the plane with any of the mentioned airlines? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!