Share

American Airlines cancels Max flights through mid-August

Share

NEW YORK (AP) — American Airlines announced Sunday that it was canceling 115 flights per day through mid-August because of ongoing problems with the Boeing 737 Max aircraft.

The announcement made American the second major carrier to cancel Max flights through the busy summer season. Southwest Airlines, the largest operator of Boeing jets, announced last week that it would cancel its Max flights through Aug. 5. American’s cancellations will last through Aug. 19.

The U.S. and other countries grounded Boeing’s 737 Max plane in mid-March after deadly plane crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. Boeing aims to finish fixing the planes in late April, and any changes would have to be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration and foreign regulators for approval.

American previously planned to cancel Max flights through early June. But by extending cancellations through the summer, the airline can plan more reliably for the peak travel season, said Doug Parker, American’s chairman and CEO, and Robert Isom, president, in a letter to employees Sunday.

Airlines are being forced to ground their planes longer than expected after Boeing and the FAA said the company needs more time to complete changes to a flight-control system suspected of playing a role in the crashes.

American’s cancellations represent 1.5% of its total flights each day of the summer. The airline, which has 24 Max jets, said its reservations and sales teams will work with customers to manage their travel plans.

American explained on its website that not all flights previously scheduled on a Max would be canceled, because the airline plans to substitute other aircraft for some flights. That also means some flights that were not scheduled to take place on a Max plane may be canceled because the airline aims to affect the smallest number of customers.

American also said on its website that customers can request a full refund if they choose not to be rebooked.

On Twitter, American Airlines passengers posted complaints Sunday about canceled flights impacting vacations, speaking engagements and travel to funerals and noted problems re-booking flights. American canceled 350 out of Dallas-Fort Worth Saturday, but that had nothing to do with the Max, said spokesman Ross Feinsten. The cancellations were caused by hail, thunderstorms and high winds in Dallas followed by snow in Chicago, he said.

“We’re working as hard as possible to rebook customers,” Feinstein said.

___

Follow Cathy Bussewitz on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbussewitz

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation