Boeing 737 Max on the ground: the airline has been in full swing for 2 years

Here are some unwelcome news to start the summer season: your chances of losing your flight are up.

After posting unprecedented record transfer rates, US airlines have, in the first three months of this year, banned the boarding of travelers at the highest rate since 2017. This increase is partly due on the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max, which took away more than 70 high-capacity aircraft. out of service, according to data from the Ministry of Transport published Wednesday.

Aeronautical authorities around the world, including the Federal Aviation Administration, have grounded the Boeing aircraft after two fatal model collisions, one in Indonesia and the other in Ethiopia, five months from now. 39; interval. A total of 346 people were killed in both collisions.

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, whose combined fleets number 58 and have an above-average shock rate, told federal officials that the grounding of the 737 Max was detrimental to their results, the ministry said. Transport in its report. Bad weather has added to the number of passengers denied boarding, said American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein.

After the passenger David Dao was violently dragged from a United Airlines plane in April 2017, the airlines took steps to avoid unintentional strikes, for example by warning passengers of oversold flights prior to their arrival at the airport. they can opt for a new booking on apps and websites, as well as an increase in compensation for passengers who agree to get hit.

Airlines are now gearing up for the busiest summer season ever recorded. Southwest, American and United have canceled thousands of flights until August because the 737 Max is on the ground. The FAA has not specified when it will allow controversial planes to fly again.

The chances of being hit are still relatively small. In the three months ended March 31, the US unintentional bumping rate was 0.32 per 10,000 passengers, the highest rate since the third quarter of 2017, and an increase over the rate of 0 , 15 per 10,000 travelers registered the previous year, says the report. .

In the first quarter, 6,175 passengers were denied boarding, almost triple the number of passengers registered in the same period last year, but little compared to 195.7 million passengers these three months.

The fare applies to travelers that airlines meet, but not to those who voluntarily choose to take a different flight when theirs is oversold.