(Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O) said on Sunday it is extending for a fourth time cancellations of about 115 daily flights into early November due to the ongoing grounding of the Boeing Co (BA.N) 737 MAX jets.
The airline’s decision was expected after the Federal Aviation Administration, which must reapprove the jets for flight following two fatal crashes, last month uncovered a new flaw that Boeing estimates will take until at least September to fix.
“American Airlines remains confident that impending software updates to the Boeing 737 MAX, along with the new training elements Boeing is developing in coordination with our union partners, will lead to recertification of the aircraft this year,” the airline said in a statement on Sunday.
American, the world’s largest airline and the second largest MAX operator in the United States, most recently had planned to keep the MAX, which it used on most flights between New York’s LaGuardia airport and Miami, off its schedule through Sept. 3. It has been substituting other aircraft for its busiest flights while canceling others and temporarily suspending direct flights between Oakland, California, and Dallas-Fort Worth.
Some analysts have said they do not expect the MAX jets to fly again before the end of the year.
American, with 24 737 MAX aircraft and dozens more on order, is scheduling without the jets through Nov. 2.
Among other U.S. MAX carriers, Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) has removed the aircraft from its scheduling through Oct. 1, and United Airlines Holdings (UAL.O) until Nov. 3. Southwest is the world’s largest MAX operator.
