In a message to
Dear colleagues,
The past eight months have tested our industry and our airline. But throughout it all, our team has risen to the occasion with safety as our number one priority. From rethinking the way we support our customers to putting in place state-of-the-art cleaning procedures, you have proved time and again that no matter the challenge before us, we'll get through it together with an unwavering focus on doing right by our customers and each other.
That focus has also guided us through the recertification of the Boeing 737 MAX. Today, the
We're particularly proud of the American team. The company, and the
If our pilots, along with the APA,
Our aircraft will be ready thanks to the comprehensive storage program our Tech Ops team has managed. Throughout the past 20 months, the team has kept these aircraft in excellent condition with regular care and maintenance. In anticipation of the return to service, the team will complete the maintenance requirements included in the Airworthiness Directive, including updating the software. In addition to the
We know that restoring our customers' confidence in this aircraft will come with time and importantly, transparency and flexibility. If a customer doesn't want to fly on the 737 MAX, they won't have to. Our customers will be able to easily identify whether they are traveling on one even if schedules change. If a customer prefers to not fly on this aircraft, we'll provide flexibility to ensure they can be easily re-accommodated.
In terms of next steps, we are taking a phased approach to return the aircraft to service. We will begin with non-commercial flights in early December before the official return to service date to demonstrate that the 737 MAX is as safe as every plane we fly at American. On? Dec.? 29, we will resume scheduled service with two flights a day - or one round trip from MIA to LGA - through? Jan.? 4. After that, we expect to gradually phase more 737 MAX aircraft into revenue service throughout January, with up to 36 departures from our
In the meantime, thank you to everyone who has worked on the recertification efforts over this nearly two-year journey and to those who will see us through the next few weeks as we prepare for commercial service. As is always the case, safety is at the forefront of every decision we make. It's with this unequivocal standard that we look forward to returning the 737 MAX to service.
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