American Airlines Group Inc. is removing the 737 Max from its flight schedules through early June, a type of delay that has become almost routine for customers of the beleaguered Boeing Co. jet.
Commercial flights with the Max will resume June 4, American said in a regulatory filing Tuesday, matching United Airlines Holdings Inc.’s planned return to service. Southwest Airlines Co., the largest Max operator, has yanked the plane from its schedule through April 13 while cautioning that further changes are possible.
Once the aircraft is certified, American said it would operate flights for employees and “invited guests” prior to June 4. American had been slated to receive 40 of the planes last year and 10 more in 2020. It had a fleet of two dozen when the flying ban took effect in March 2019.
U.S. regulators barred flights of the plane after crashes at Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines killed 346 people.
Last month Boeing ousted CEO Dennis Muilenburg as it seeks to win regulatory approval for changes it has made to the jet’s software. David Calhoun, a longtime board director, took over the top job Monday.
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