Southwest Pushes Back Boeing Max Return, Again

Boeing continues to fix the aircraft following two deadly crashes.

In this March 23, 2019 file photo a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft lands at the Southern California Logistics Airport in the high desert town of Victorville, Calif. Southwest said Thursday, Oct. 17, that it will keep its Boeing 737 Max jets out of its schedule until Feb. 8, about a month longer than previously planned.
In this March 23, 2019 file photo a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft lands at the Southern California Logistics Airport in the high desert town of Victorville, Calif. Southwest said Thursday, Oct. 17, that it will keep its Boeing 737 Max jets out of its schedule until Feb. 8, about a month longer than previously planned.
AP Photo/Matt Hartman, File

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines has again pushed back the return of its Boeing 737 Max jets as Boeing tries to fix the aircraft following two deadly crashes.

Southwest said Thursday that it will keep its Max out of its schedule until Feb. 8, about a month longer than previously planned.

The airline says it's monitoring information from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration about software improvements and pilot-training requirements that will be part of returning the plane to flight.

Without the planes, Southwest says it will cancel about 175 flights each weekday. Southwest had 34 MAX planes when they were grounded in March and had expected more to be delivered this year.

American and United have taken their Maxes out of the schedule until at least January.

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