After the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 tore off in midair on Friday and forced an emergency landing in Portland, Ore., the Federal Aviation Administration ordered some Max 9 planes to be grounded temporarily until they are thoroughly inspected.
Hundreds of flights operated by Alaska Airlines and United Airlines were delayed or canceled Saturday. It’s unclear how the grounding and ongoing inspections will affect flights in the coming days as they and other airlines grapple with concerns about a workhorse aircraft.
The Max, which comes in four variants, numbered seven through 10, is the most popular plane in Boeing’s history, accounting for one-fifth of all orders placed since 1955, according to company figures.
See what passengers should know about the Max 9 plane, how airlines are responding to the landing, and how to navigate any upcoming flight delays or cancellations.
Which airlines fly the Max 9 aircraft?
About 215 Boeing Max 9 planes are currently in service worldwide, according to Cirium, an aviation data provider. United Airlines operates 79, the most airlines, and Alaska has 65 — their combined fleets account for about 70 percent of the jets in service.
Other carriers based on the Max 9 are Panama’s Copa Airlines, Aeromexico, Turkish Airlines, FlyDubai and Iceland Air.
The FAA’s grounding of Max 9 planes affects 171 planes operated by Alaska, United and other airlines.
Each Max 9 can carry up to 220 passengers, depending on the seating configuration.
Are airlines still flying the Max 9?
As of Saturday night, United he said in a statement had “temporarily suspended service” on select Max 9 planes to conduct immediate FAA-required inspections United also said 33 of its 79 Max 9 planes had already received the necessary inspection.
Alaska he said in a statement Saturday afternoon that it had begun inspections early Saturday morning and had cleared 18 aircraft to return to service. The remaining inspections will be completed in the coming days, the airline said.
How will the emergency affect passenger movements in the coming days?
As of Saturday afternoon, Alaska Airlines had canceled about 141 flights, or 18 percent of those scheduled for the day, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking service. United Airlines canceled 66 flights, about 2% of its daily schedule. Hundreds of flights departing on Saturday from both carriers were delayed.
It is unclear how the plane’s landing will affect flight schedules in the coming days. Both United and Alaska said they are working with affected passengers to offer alternative travel options.
I will be flying in the next few days. How can I see if I have booked a Boeing 737 Max 9?
Travelers can usually find information about their plane type when they book their flights online, either during the seat selection process or elsewhere on the airline’s website.
Passengers may also be able to find the aircraft type on an airline’s mobile app. For Alaska, this is available in the Details section of the application. Flight tracking sites such as FlightAwarethey also have plane information if users search for specific flights using the flight number.
However, even if passengers know in advance which plane they are going to fly, this is always subject to change. Airlines switch aircraft at the last minute, depending on factors such as weather and logistics.
What can passengers do if they are affected by a cancellation? Can they change routes?
Alaska has issued a “worldwide system flexible travel policyAllowing passengers to cancel or change their flights without incurring fees due to Max 9 inspections and the forecast of winter weather in the North East. The airline encourages travelers to use the Alaska website or app themselves, rather than calling the airline’s customer service line (waits are long).
For those with upcoming flights, Alaska directs passengers to check their flight status In connection. If your flight is cancelled, you may receive a refund or future travel credit.
United flight status updates can be found In connection. If a flight is significantly delayed, United will change fee waiver or grant a travel credit or refund. The airline has not issued a specific waiver on aircraft inspections that would further relax the policies.
And if your flight is delayed or cancelled, you may be entitled to compensation, depending on the circumstances.
What is the history of Boeing Max airplanes?
Boeing Max jets have been plagued by disasters in recent years. Over the course of several months in 2018 and 2019, two Boeing Max 8 planes crashed, killing hundreds of passengers and crew. All Max aircraft were then grounded around the world for nearly two years while company engineers worked to identify the problem.
With additional reference from Callie Holtermann and Niraj Chokshi.
Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and subscribe to the Travel Dispatch weekly newsletter to get expert tips to travel smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming of a future getaway or just an armchair trip? Take a look at ours 52 places to go in 2023.