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After nearly two years in the field, the Boeing 737 MAX is once again becoming an increasingly common sight. This is particularly evident in the United States, where four airlines have flown the type since its recertification. This week, Simple Flying had the chance to speak to Bryce Rea, who flew as a passenger on each of these landmark trips.
Return to service after recertification
Last November, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) became the first authority to grant MAX recertification. This ended a 20-month grounding period forced by the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which had striking similarities.
Despite this, the United States was not the first country to see the guy return to commercial service. This took place in Brazil, where low-cost carrier GOL performed the world’s first post-recertification MAX flights on December 9.
Since FAA recertification, four US airlines have flown the MAX: Alaska Airlines, American, Southwest, and United. Bryce Rea, who runs the Skylite Productions YouTube channel, was a passenger on all of these areas and shared his experiences with us.
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The period of grounding and recertification has been a long and difficult process for Boeing. However, Rea is confident that the manufacturer and the FAA have used their time well. He declares:
“Now that the recertification process is complete and the aircraft has been cleared to fly again, I am confident that the FAA process was thorough and addressed the issues that needed to be addressed. It is also worth mentioning that the airlines have also invested heavily in this aircraft.. “
MAX pre-beaching operations in the United States
Of course, it’s important to remember that all of these carriers, with the exception of Alaska Airlines, had previously flown the MAX before it grounded. Indeed, Bryce had flown on the guy once before, from Miami to New York LaGuardia in June 2018. He observes that:
“This was the original route American introduced the plane to on November 29, 2017. Interestingly, we never made it to LaGuardia because we turned to Charlotte-Douglas International. The hijacking was not due to a plane breakdown, but to a medical emergency for the passengers.
Transparency when booking
Despite the MAX’s successful recertification, some passengers may still be wary of the plane. As such, carriers have taken steps to notify MAX service passengers that the type will operate their flights. This is evident from the reservation phase, as Bryce explains.
“It was perfectly clear to all four airlines that you were booking a flight on a 737 MAX. I specifically booked these flights, but even a passenger who knew little about commercial planes would have realized they were booking a flight on a MAX. All four airlines were ultra-transparent during the booking process. “
For example, Rea notes that American featured a rating on the MAX at the top of the reservation whenever it was opened on the airline’s website or app. There was perhaps a special emphasis on the American, as it was the first American carrier to reintroduce the MAX. Her first post-recertification flight with the guy flew from Miami to LaGuardia on December 29.
Alaska and America stand out
While all four airlines showed similar transparency during the booking process, their levels differed a bit when it comes to the flights themselves. Two carriers stood out for Bryce, who notes:
“The American and Alaska made several announcements at the gate, informing everyone that their flight was operated by a 737 MAX. They also informed everyone that if they weren’t comfortable flying on a Max, they would be happy to move them for free on another flight. “
As we have established, one would have expected the American, as the first carrier, to have shone on the presence of the MAX. Interestingly, Rea also notes that Alaska Airlines has made a special effort.
However, this is also understandable, given that her MAX flight was her very first with the type, let alone just in the post-recertification era. The carrier’s first MAX service flew from Seattle to San Diego on March 1. Bryce reports that Alaska too “had two captains in the cockpit, prompting their director of flight standards and their fleet captain ” for the occasion.
Less visible on Southwest and United
On the other hand, Rea says it was a much more moderate affair for Southwest and United. Southwest’s first post-recertification MAX flight was most recently, when it flew from Denver to Chicago on March 11. Meanwhile, United had joined the party exactly one month before, performing their first post-recertification MAX service from Denver to Houston. Rea Notes:
“Aside from the two airlines which quickly announced that this was their first MAX flight since the grounding, I have never heard any other announcements regarding the plane or the ability of passengers to change flights. if they wished. On the United flight, the fact that we were flying a MAX was only mentioned on board after we landed in Houston.. “
A successful reintroduction at all levels
Despite the different approaches of the carriers, Bryce told Simple Flying that “all four flights went off without a hitch. It turned out to be four US domestic flights, and once you get past the cameras they were just like any other flight.. This is good news for MAX operators, who will surely want to fly the aircraft as safe and comfortable as any other.
When it comes to passenger comfort, this is also something Rea touched on. He affirms that “with the new Boeing Sky interiors, their signature mood lighting and larger overhead compartments, it could be said that this was a new, more modern aircraft. ” That said, Bryce observes that airlines can modernize older 737s with these aspects, making them more difficult to distinguish internally.
Having traveled on these four flights, Rea hopes his Skylite Productions videos will help instill confidence in the MAX. As someone who frequently receives comments from people scared of flying and who use his videos to get used to air travel, Bryce says:
“I wanted people who might still be hesitant about the MAX to be able to watch the videos and see that these flights were like any other commercial flight they would normally take. Flying on the MAX is just as smooth and trouble-free as any other flight, on any other aircraft. “
After successfully reintroducing the type, or inaugurated in the case of Alaska, US carriers are increasingly stepping up their MAX operations. We hope this marks the start of a brighter period for Boeing, ending the book with a few difficult years. Bryce Rea echoed these sentiments, saying: “I have the impression that this is the end of the chapter “ grounding ”, and it is more and more advanced for the Boeing 737 MAX. “
What do you think of the return to service of the 737 MAX in the United States? Did you fly with any of the airlines mentioned? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
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