NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Only two airlines that operate out of Nashville have the Boeing 737 Max 9 as one of their planes — United and Alaska.
Friday, there was an incident with a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane where a window blew out of one of the planes operated by Alaska Airlines. No one was seriously hurt, but the Federal Aviation Administration has grounded certain Boeing 737 Max 9 planes for inspection before they can return to flight.
United provided this statement regarding the aircraft in Nashville:
Service on United’s Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft remains temporarily suspended while it conducts inspections required by the FAA. We’re continuing to work with the FAA to clarify the inspection process and requirements for returning all MAX 9 aircraft to service. We are working with customers to reaccommodate them on other flights and in some cases have been able to avoid cancellations by switching to other aircraft types
United has 79 of the 737 Max 9 aircraft. They say the next step in the FAA's emergency airworthiness directive is to issue a Multi-Operator Message used to determine the final means of compliance with the airworthiness directive.
While this is completed, all 737 Max 9s are grounded, and about 200 cancellations are expected for Monday. Inspections will be completed after final procedures are received from the FAA.
September 11, 2001 is a day most associate with terror and tragedy. Austin Pollack shares a story from that day about hope and persistence: the effort to save a little girl’s life – with an organ donation. The problem? The young patient was in Houston, and her life-saving liver here in Nashville. With the grounding of all civilian aircraft, how could it be done? “Nobody ever said this isn’t possible.”
- Rhori Johnston
