American Airlines has revealed it is cancelling 115 flights every day until late summer as the US airline struggles with the grounding of its Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The fleet will be grounded until 19 August to keep safety a priority during the busy summer period. The airline had previously said flights would be cancelled until early June but is now extended the grounding. AA said in a statement released yesterday that they aimed to “operate the safest and most reliable operation in our history,” hence why 115 flights will be axed.
The airline hopes to able to “plan more reliably” and “provide confidence” to customers.
The global Boeing 737 Max fleet was grounded on 13 March after the Ethiopian Airlines crash.
American Airlines said: “We have made the decision to extend our cancellations for the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft through Aug. 19.
“Based upon our ongoing work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing, we are highly confident that the MAX will be recertified prior to this time.
“But by extending our cancellations through the summer, we can plan more reliably for the peak travel season and provide confidence to our customers and team members when it comes to their travel plans.
“Once the MAX is recertified, we anticipate bringing our MAX aircraft back on line as spares to supplement our operation as needed during the summer.
Not all flights that were previously scheduled on a 737 Max aircraft will be cancelled as other aircraft types will be substituted.
AA customers who are affected will be directly contacted by telephone or email by American’s Reservations team.
“Customers who booked through a travel agent will be contacted by their agency directly,” the airline added.
Those whose flights were cancelled by they don’t want to rebook can request a full refund.
Last week, Southwest Airlines – one of the biggest operators of the Max in the US alongside American Airlines – announced it would be grounding its Max flight until 5 August.
If your flight is cancelled, no matter what the reason, you are entitled to a refund or new flight.
Always make sure you equip yourself with the right tools. “Most airlines will have an online form to help you claim for a delayed or cancelled flight, however, these aren’t always easy to find,” Michael Reay at travel search platform HolidayPirates said.
“You can always use the following free tool: www.resolver.co.uk which provides template letters and guidance for complaining and submitting claims.”
Flight cancellation compensation for Britons only applies on an EU-regulated flight.
According to Money Saving Expert: “An EU flight is where the flight departed from an EU airport, regardless of the airline OR where an EU airline landed at an EU airport.
“If you weren’t on an EU-regulated flight, you can’t claim under EU rules, but there are still avenues you can try” which are worth investigating.
