Copa Airlines has confirmed the resumption of Boeing 737 MAX 9 operations starting January 25, after receiving approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The airline also commits to rescheduling the flights canceled planned for January 27 and 28, offering relocation options to affected passengers.
On January 24, the FAA announced the approval of the review program proposed by Boeing and the operators of the 737-9. This program, designed to ensure safety and compliance with regulations, will allow the aircraft to return to active service once the revisions have been completed.
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The U.S. regulatory agency supported the review and maintenance process after evaluating the repairs made on 40 aircraft. Additionally, it convened a Corrective Action Review Board (CARB), which analyzed and approved the proposed procedure. The actions to be performed on the annulled doors are:
- An inspection of nuts, guides, and specific adjustments.
- Detailed visual inspections of the door settings and “dozens” of associated components.
- Adjusting the torque of the screwdrivers
- Correcting any damage or abnormal condition
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According to the Cirium platform, Copa Airlines had grounded twenty-one 737-9s, while eight continued operating since the start of the model’s grounding. These latter had a different configuration than the one that had raised concerns from the FAA.
«We estimate that the inspection of our affected 737-9s will be completed in the next 36 hours, to gradually reintegrate them into operation safely,» Copa Airlines detailed in the statement.
«The inspections are being carried out by Copa Airlines’ professional technicians, following the highest standards of quality and under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority (AAC) of Panama,» they add in this regard.
Options for Passengers
Copa Airlines noted that it expects to return to the full schedule of the 737 MAX 9 by Sunday, January 28, but continues to offer new options for those passengers affected:
- Passengers who have confirmed a new travel itinerary can change to a new flight without any additional charge, if they wish.
- Passengers who have not yet confirmed a new travel itinerary after their original flight was affected, can choose a new flight by calling the call center or approaching a sales office, airport, or their travel agency.
- Passengers whose tickets are already in the process of refund and wish to travel, will need to purchase a new ticket.
At the same time, they maintain the recommendation to check the status of their respective flights on copa.com or the mobile app before heading to the airport.
