Numerous Alaska Airlines passengers bound for San Diego are facing delays and cancellations on Sunday. The San Diego International Airport's flight status tracker reported five delays and eight cancellations for January 7, all for flights scheduled to arrive in San Diego.
This disruption follows the announcement
on Saturday that Alaska Airlines temporarily grounded its entire fleet of
Boeing 737 MAX-9 jets. The decision came after a significant cabin hole
appeared during a Southern California-bound flight on Friday evening, departing
from Portland, Oregon. While several passengers suffered injuries requiring
medical attention, all have since been cleared medically.
The National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) has taken the lead in the investigation, with the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) issuing an emergency airworthiness directive (EAD). This
directive mandates specific inspections for all operators of the 737-9 MAX
aircraft before returning them to service.
Alaska Airlines stated that 18 of its 737-9 MAX aircraft underwent thorough inspections as part of routine maintenance until the issuance of the FAA's EAD. These aircraft are now also grounded until additional maintenance requirements are clarified with the FAA. The airline is coordinating with the FAA to determine any further necessary work before these aircraft can resume service. The impact of these inspections may cause delays and cancellations not only for Alaska Airlines but potentially for other carriers as well, as indicated by one United Airlines cancellation on Sunday, though the cause is yet unconfirmed.
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