SEATTLE — Boeing's 737-9 MAX aircraft took center stage Monday when it began passenger flights for Alaska Airlines from Sea-Tac International Airport.
The airplane was re-certified for flight by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in November after being grounded in March 2019 following two crashes that killed a total of 346 people.
Alaska received the plane from Boeing in January and spent the last five weeks training pilots and other employees on its systems, as well as taking the aircraft out for several hours of test flights.
"It's all part of a public relations campaign to instill confidence in the traveling public," said aviation consultant Scott Hamilton. The goal is to make people feel safe flying on the 737 MAX and try to erase the negative stain the grounding put on Boeing's reputation.
After the aircraft was grounded, federal investigators determined the cause of the fatal crashes was a faulty computer system that pushed the plane's nose downward in flight and couldn't be overridden by pilots.
"I think it will be a couple of years before you see statistically that people no longer have a fear about flying MAX," said Hamilton. "I think there will always be some, but I think that as long as you don't have another accident that is tied to a design issue of the airplane, I don't think you're going to have any real concern after a couple of years."
Alaska Airlines will make daily roundtrip flights with the new 737-9 MAX between Seattle and San Diego, and Seattle and Los Angeles, according to information from the airline.
Alaska's second 737-9 MAX is expected to start service later in March.
These new aircraft will also be flown with sustainable aviation fuel to help reduce CO2 emissions, which Hamilton said is appealing for the airline industry.
"That's especially important right now because of the pandemic," said Hamilton, "if the airlines can reduce their operating costs by 15-16%, that's huge... That’s something that will help Boeing to recover, that it will help support the demand for the MAX," continued Hamilton.
It's not just airlines and Boeing that have a lot riding on the success of the MAX -- it could also have an impact on the entire economy in Puget Sound.
"The success of the 737 MAX means jobs for Boeing and the Puget Sound right here in Renton," explained Hamilton.
The airplane could be in production for the next 10 years, and with Alaska planning to buy a total of 68 of these aircraft over the next four years, Monday's first flight seems like a step toward putting turbulent times in the past.