Air Canada removes 737 Max flights until 2020, joining Southwest

Air Canada has removed the Boeing 737 Max from its schedule until January pending regulatory approvals, joining Southwest Airlines in scrapping plans for flights of the jetliner into 2020. The carrier said the grounded jets will reduce capacity and curb earnings growth in Q3, even as the company posted profit that beat analysts’ estimates for the second quarter. “The impact of the Boeing 737 Max grounding will be felt more acutely in our very busy summer period,” Calin Rovinescu, president and CE said Tuesday. The removal of Boeing 737 Max until at least Jan 8 “reflects our prudent approach to scheduling, giving customers certainty when booking their fall and especially their winter holiday travel.” The airline said that Q3 projected capacity is expected to fall about 2% compared with the same period in 2018. <br/>