U.S. airlines face too many travelers, too few planes in 737 MAX summer dilemma

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

BUSINESS NEWS APRIL 14, 2019 / 10:23 AM / UPDATED 34 MINUTES AGO

U.S. airlines face too many travelers, too few planes in 737 MAX summer dilemma

Tracy Rucinski
5 MIN READ

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Normally, U.S. airlines compete to sell tickets and fill seats during the peak summer travel season. But operators of the grounded Boeing 737 MAX are facing a different problem: scarce planes and booming demand.

The grounding of Boeing Co’s fuel-efficient, single-aisle workhorse after two fatal crashes is biting into U.S. airlines’ Northern Hemisphere spring and summer schedules, threatening to disarm them in their seasonal war for profits.

“The revenue is right in front of them. They can see it, but they can’t meet it,” said Mike Trevino, spokesman for Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and an aviation industry veteran.

Southwest Airlines Co, the world’s largest MAX operator, and American Airlines Group Inc with 34 and 24 MAX jetliners respectively, have removed the aircraft from their flying schedules into August. United Airlines said on Monday it would remove its 14 MAX jets through early July.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-airplane-usa-airlines/u-s-airlines-face-too-many-travelers-too-few-planes-in-737-max-summer-dilemma-idUSKCN1RQ0G0