List of Airlines With Boeing 737 MAX 9 Planes As Multiple Flights Canceled

Federal officials have announced the temporary grounding of some Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes after a harrowing incident where an Alaska Airlines airliner was left with a massive hole in its side during a flight.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Saturday that it required immediate inspections of certain MAX 9 planes operated by U.S. airlines or flown in the United States by foreign carriers. The FAA said the order will affect about 171 planes worldwide.

It came after a fuselage panel blew out on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 just a few minutes after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, on Friday. Incredibly, none of the passengers or crew members onboard the flight were seriously injured and pilots made a safe emergency landing.

The FAA's move is the latest blow to Boeing concerning the company's 737 MAX jets, which were grounded worldwide after two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019. Last month, Boeing asked airlines to inspect its 737 Max jets for a potential loose bolt in the rudder control system.

Which Airlines Use Boeing 737 MAX 9s?

Around 215 MAX 9 planes are currently in service worldwide, The New York Times reported, citing data from aviation data provider Cirium. Two U.S. airlines—Alaska and United—operate about 70 percent of the MAX 9 planes in service.

Alaska Airlines

Hours after Friday's incident, the airline announced it would ground its entire fleet of 65 Max 9s for inspections. The airline said it had begun checks early on Saturday morning and cleared 18 aircraft to return to service before the FAA's order to ground all planes of that type.

"We are working with the FAA to ensure that our inspections meet their detailed requirements and comply with the [Emergency Airworthiness Directive], but this process will take more time," the airline said.

United Airlines

United operates 79 MAX 9 planes. In a statement on Saturday night, the airline said it had "temporarily suspended service" on selected planes to conduct inspections required by the FAA.

Copa Airlines

Panama's Copa Airlines said it has temporarily grounded 21 of its MAX 9 planes following the FAA's directive.

"Copa has initiated the necessary technical inspections and expects to return these aircraft safely and reliable to the flight schedule within the next 24 hours," the airline said in a statement to Newsweek.

"The airline's team is working to minimize the impact on our passengers, although some delays and cancelations are expected due to this situation beyond the airline's control."

The carrier has 29 of the planes in service, FlightGlobal reported.

Aeromexico

The Mexican airline has grounded its MAX 9 planes, FlightGlobal reported. "In accordance with the Federal Aviation Administration, Aeromexico will ground its B737 MAX 9 aircraft until they undergo inspection," the airline said on Saturday.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines said it would withdraw five Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft from service for checks.

"Until the technical investigation process is completed and the measures requested by the authorities are implemented, Turkish Airlines has decided to withdraw the five Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in its fleet from operation at the first airport they land at," Yahya Üstün, a spokesman for the company, said in a statement provided to Newsweek.

FlyDubai

FlyDubai said the MAX 9s in its fleet are not affected by the FAA's order.

The airline "operates Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft with a deactivated mid-aft exit door configuration which is not referenced in the directive," a spokesperson said in an email to Newsweek.

Icelandair

The airline said none of the MAX 9s in its fleet feature the configuration specified in the FAA's order.

The airlines have been contacted for further comment via email.

What To Do if Your flight Is Canceled

United has canceled more than 200 flights, or 7 percent of its daily schedule, on Sunday morning, according to FlightAware. Alaska Airlines has canceled 163 flights, or 21 percent of those scheduled for Sunday.

Both airlines have said they were working to help affected passengers.

Alaska Airlines said it is offering a flexible travel policy and affected customers may change or cancel their flights. Those affected by changes or wanting to change their travel plans can find more information on the airline's website.

United said affected customers should visit united.com or the United app for the latest information on their flight status and to access travel assistance resources.