World News

Actions

Boeing Says The 737 Max Could Be Flying Again In January

Boeing's 737 Max could get approval to fly again at the start of 2020.
Posted

Boeing says it plans to get its 737 Max planes back in the air in January.

The company said in a "737 Max Progress Report" Monday that it still needs to complete several tests, including a certification flight test, and update the 737 Max's training requirements before seeking final FAA approval.

The announcement comes just days after Southwest and American airlines said they were extending their 737 Max cancellations until March. Southwest had previously canceled flights through Feb. 8.

It also comes nearly two weeks after Boeing's CEO testified on Capitol Hill about the 737 Max's grounding.

The planes have been grounded worldwide since mid-March after software malfunctions were linked to two fatal crashes. Officials have said trouble with the planes' angle-of-attack sensors could have caused both crashes. Boeing's been testing some software fixes to get the planes back in the air. 

A Lion Air plane crashed in Indonesia last October, and an Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed in March. The two crashes killed 346 people and both happened shortly after takeoff.

The FAA has previously said it will be up to each country to decide on its own when to let the planes back in the air.

 Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.