The Boeing 737 MAX jet remains grounded worldwide after two deadly crashes over the past 8 months, but American Airlines has a plan to rebuild public trust once the plane is back in the air.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker told investors earlier this week at the company’s annual shareholder meeting that staff, including executives, will fly on 737 MAX, according to a recent report from Bloomberg. This decision aims to bolster public trust in the plane, as the two 737 MAX crashes killed more than 300 people combined.
The flights are set to occur only once the FAA approves the software update. Boeing completed a software update roughly one month ago on May 16.
“With safety as our clear priority, we have completed all of the engineering test flights for the software update and are preparing for the final certification flight,†said Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg, said in a press release on May 16.
American Airlines flies 24 of the 737 MAX 8 jets. The other U.S. carriers that fly the 737 MAX include United Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
Still, it remains to be seen just how many travelers will be willing to fly on the 737 MAX even if the FAA puts the plane back in the air.
A UBS survey found that “about 70% of the US flying public have some hesitation on booking a flight today on the plane,†as referenced in an article from Business Insider.
Even President Trump weighed in on the 737 MAX on Twitter back in April, saying: “…if I were Boeing, I would FIX the Boeing 737 MAX, add some additional great features, & REBRAND the plane with a new name. No product has suffered like this one.â€
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