Southwest Airlines ranked as the second-best domestic airline, according to Bounce's 2023 Airline Index.
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Southwest Airlines has removed the Boeing 737 Max 7 from its fleet plans as regulators have yet to certify the smaller model of the manufacturer's best-selling plane.
Southwest this week became the latest major airline to rethink its fleet plans due to certification delays in boeing.
Earlier this week, united airlines said it would remove the 737 Max 10, the largest model in the Max family, from its internal fleet plans after certification delays.
Scrutiny on Boeing has increased in recent weeks after a door panel exploded mid-flight on a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines on Jan. 5, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to ground that model. On Wednesday, the FAA authorized inspection instructions to allow the planes to return to service this week.
Southwest said in a quarterly earnings and outlook report on Thursday that it expects to take delivery of 79 aircraft this year and would remove the Max 7 from its plans “due to Boeing's continued supply chain challenges and the current status of -7 certification.” ” down. of 85 contracted aircraft.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told CNBC earlier this week that even before the Alaska Airlines incident, the agency had concluded it needed a “more hands-on approach” with the certification of Max 7 planes. and Max 10. He said the agency does not have deadlines for certifications of those aircraft.
“As I was preparing for this job and going through the nomination and confirmation and really digging into what originally happened with the Max, I think the message was extra vigilance,” said Whitaker, who has been in the top job for about three months. the FAA. . “So we had already gotten more visibility in our front office on what these certification programs are, just to have a better understanding of what's coming. I think a higher level of vigilance will be maintained.”
The FAA said late Wednesday it will ban Boeing from making planned 737 Max production increases, which could lead to delivery delays for airlines.
The company said in a statement after the FAA announcement that it “will continue to fully and transparently cooperate with the FAA and follow its guidance as we take steps to strengthen safety and quality at Boeing.”
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