Ebun Olowu
Boeing 737 MAX aircraft have resumed passenger flights in the United States of America for the first time since a 20-month safety ban was lifted last month.
American Airlines flight 718, carrying around 100 passengers, landed at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Tuesday, December 29, 2020 after departing from Miami earlier in the day.
The airline and plane manufacturer, Boeing, have sought to reassure the public over the safety of the 737 MAX after it was cleared by US regulators to resume flights in November.
The MAX airlines were grounded in March 2019 for 20 months after two fatal crashes in five months – in Indonesia and Ethiopia – killed a total of 346 people.
In both crashes, the system caused the nose of the aircraft to be pushed down repeatedly based on faulty sensor readings, and pilots were unable to regain control.
The ban was lifted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last month after Boeing agreed to software upgrades and new safety precautions on a flight control system linked in both crashes.
The flight comes after a host of measures by the airline, including flight control updates, maintenance work, fresh pilot training and meetings with flight crews to explain Boeing’s changes and address concerns.
