Boeing Max 9: What flyers should know as Alaska, United cancel weekend flights

Michael Salerno, Arizona Republic
Updated ·5 min read
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After a door plug malfunction blew a hole in an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet during flight on Jan. 5, all Max 9 airplanes with plug doors have been grounded nationwide.

The Federal Aviation Administration's order affects 171 Max 9 jets. United Airlines and Alaska Airlines operate most of the affected planes. The scary situation has canceled flights nationwide.

Together, the two airlines canceled about 2,000 flights from Saturday, Jan. 6, to Thursday, Jan. 11, in part because of the grounded Max 9 jets, according to FlightAware data. Cancellations will continue through at least the weekend.

Of the canceled flights, 81 were in Phoenix – 43 with United and 38 with Alaska.

Here's what to know about flights canceled by the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max 9.

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Why is the Boeing 737 Max 9 grounded?

On Jan. 5, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 was flying from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California.

Shortly after takeoff, a door-sized section of the fuselage blew out midair, depressurizing the aircraft and forcing an emergency landing.

The impact of the blowout was so strong that the wind swallowed cellphones and even the shirt on a teen boy’s back.

The FAA grounded Max 9s with plug doors.

“Safety is our top priority and we deeply regret the impact this event has had on our customers and their passengers,” Boeing said in a Jan. 6 statement.

“We agree with and fully support the FAA's decision to require immediate inspections of 737-9 airplanes with the same configuration as the affected airplane. In addition, a Boeing technical team is supporting the (National Transportation Safety Board’s) investigation into the Jan. 5 accident. We will remain in close contact with our regulator and customers.”

How many Boeing 737 Max 9 flights are canceled?

Close to 1,700 United Airlines and Alaska Airlines flights have been canceled since Jan. 6, according to data from FlightAware.

Alaska Airlines said on Wednesday that it would cancel all Max 9 flights through Saturday, Jan. 13, equating to about 110 to 150 flights per day.

A small number of the canceled United and Alaska flights are occurring at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – 81 since Jan. 6, according to FlightAware. Here's what flights were canceled at Sky Harbor by the day:

  • Jan. 6: 10 United flights, 7 Alaska flights.

  • Jan. 7: 10 United flights, 7 Alaska flights.

  • Jan. 8: 7 United flights, 7 Alaska flights.

  • Jan. 9: 3 United flights, 3 Alaska flights.

  • Jan. 10: 6 United flights, 4 Alaska flights.

  • Jan. 11: 7 United flights, 10 Alaska flights.

A United Airlines spokesperson told The Arizona Republic that the airline was working to return the Max 9 to service “in the days ahead” and some scheduled flights would continue by switching to other planes.

Alaska and United await final instructions from the FAA and Boeing on the Max 9 maintenance and inspection process. On Tuesday, Jan. 9, the FAA said it received an initial version of instructions from Boeing, but the company was revising the instructions based on feedback received in response.

"The safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning the Boeing 737-9 Max to service," the FAA said.

This is not the first incident involving the Boeing 737 Max, the fourth generation of Boeing's 737 aircraft. The aftermath of fatal accidents with the Max 8 also affected a few Sky Harbor flights.

When the Max 8 was grounded in 2019 following fatal accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia, few Max 8s were operating in Phoenix. It wasn't in widespread use in Phoenix even though American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, the airport’s two biggest carriers, had it in their fleets.

The Max 8 was recertified by the FAA in November 2020.

How many Boeing 737 Max 9 planes are in service?

United Airlines operates the largest fleet of Max 9 jets, at 79.

Alaska Airlines has 65 Max 9s.

What flights out of Phoenix use Max 9 planes?

United Airlines offers seven nonstop routes out of Phoenix: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. A search on United’s website showed flights between Sky Harbor and Chicago, Denver, San Francisco and Washington scheduled to use the Max 9.

Alaska Airlines offers five nonstop routes out of Phoenix: Anchorage, Alaska; Boise, Idaho; Everett, Washington; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle. The Max 9 is used for nonstops between Phoenix and Portland, according to Alaska’s website.

What if I'm scheduled to fly on a Max 9?

Alaska has a “systemwide flexible travel policy” in effect because of the Max 9 groundings as well as winter weather disruptions. Anyone with a flight scheduled to leave through Jan. 13 and can travel through Jan. 20 can change their flight without a fare difference.

Travelers who purchased a nonrefundable ticket with Alaska and wish to cancel can receive a credit for future travel.

United is offering a similar policy: Anyone with a flight through Jan. 13 can rebook without a fare difference through Jan. 21 if they book in the same cabin and between the same city pairs as their original ticket. Those who cancel or don’t take their trip can receive a full refund.

Those who purchased their tickets through a third party like Expedia must contact the third party for assistance.

Flight canceled or delayed? Here's how to rebook or get a refund

Reach the reporter at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Boeing 737 Max 9 grounding: How many flights have been canceled