Alaska Airlines N704AL, a 737 Max 9, which made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport on January 5, is parked in a maintenance hangar in Portland, Oregon, on January 23, 2024.
Patricio T. Fallon | AFP | fake images
Alaska Airlines said Thursday that the week-long immobilization of boeing The 737 Max 9 will cost the airline $150 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration grounded planes a day after a door plug exploded during a flight to Alaska on Jan. 5. Late Wednesday, the agency said it approved inspection instructions that would allow that type of plane to return to service.
Alaska said Wednesday that the first flights of the Max 9 would resume on Friday and that it would gradually return the plane to service through early February.
Both Alaska and united airlinesThe two US airlines that have Max 9s in their fleets said they found loose bolts on several Max 9 planes during preliminary inspections shortly after the crash.
Alaska on Thursday forecast full-year adjusted earnings per share of between $3 and $5, including the impact of the Max suspension. Analysts surveyed by LSEG, formerly known as Refinitiv, were predicting adjusted earnings of $4.93 per share on average.
Alaska said before the grounding that it expected to increase its capacity by 3% to 5% this year, but, “given the grounding and the potential for future delivery delays, the company expects capacity growth to be at or below from the lower end of this range.”
Alaska stocks gained about 2% in early trading Thursday.
The CEOs of Alaska and United expressed frustration and anger with Boeing this week after the accident.
“I am beyond frustrated and disappointed,” Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci told NBC News on Tuesday. “I'm angry.”
Thursday's impairment disclosure came alongside the company's fourth-quarter earnings report.
Don't miss these CNBC PRO stories:
