1Berita English – Alaska Airlines stated that a total of 18 of its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft have undergone inspection. Consequently, the fleet has been returned to service or resumed flying.
Alaska Airlines mentioned that approximately one-fourth of its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft have been reintegrated into service after thorough inspections.
The company also noted that the remaining inspections will be completed in the coming days.
The inspections were carried out after Alaska Airlines announced a temporary grounding of its fleet using this aircraft model following an emergency landing on Friday night.
On the other hand, the Federal Aviation Administration also ordered the grounding and inspection of several 737 Max 9 aircraft nationwide.
“The aircraft have been returned to service following a comprehensive and thorough inspection of the door plugs,” Alaska Airlines stated in a release.
“Door plugs refer to the part of the aircraft body that can be installed by the manufacturer as an emergency door replacement, depending on the configuration requested by the airline,” the airline added.
This door plug was the part of the aircraft that ruptured on Friday night. According to reports from passengers through live accounts and videos, the explosion on the Boeing 737 Max 9 left a hole the size of a refrigerator.
“The remaining 737-9 aircraft examination process is expected to be completed in the next few days. We will provide the latest information regarding the progress of our inspections,” Alaska stated in its announcement.
