The big breaking news in travel is that the Federal Aviation Administration, charged with managing the safety certification of aircraft in passenger service, has approved the return to flying of the Boeing 737 MAX.
This action concludes a 20-month investigation of the safety issues arising from two total-loss crashes. The background is well set out in the article cited above, so I won’t repeat it here.
Neither will I venture an opinion about the safety of the aircraft. As with all such matters, the industry relies on the federal government for careful and cautious review and approval of airworthiness, so that travelers and their travel advisors can depend upon the safety of the aircraft in which they fly.
That said, the saga of the 737 MAX review has sparked concern among travelers about whether it is safe to fly on this aircraft. Indeed, the news of the FAA’s approval has been met by a letter to the major airlines that fly the aircraft (Alaska, American, Southwest, and United) from five consumer groups: Business Travel Coalition, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, National Consumers League, and Travel Fairness Now.
To read the full article, click here.