Boeing’s 737 Max extends comeback as United readies flights

Boeing’s 737 Max is poised to return to service at United, the second US carrier to restart flights after a record-long grounding prompted by two deadly crashes. United is planning a total of two dozen flights on the Max from its hubs in Denver and Houston on Thursday, less than two months since American Airlines Group began operating the plane again on a single route between Miami and New York. Next month, Southwest is expected to resume Max operations and Alaska Air Group will start its first service with the model. The flights further the gradual and so far uneventful return of Boeing’s best-selling plane after a 20-month flying ban, the longest jetliner grounding in US history. The Max accounts for about 80% of Boeing’s backlog of orders and represents the company’s only offering in the crucial single-aisle market, in which the US planemaker trails Airbus. United is scheduled to operate 566 Max flights this month and the tally will increase to nearly 2,000 in March, according to data compiled by Cirium. Worldwide, seven airlines have scheduled 3,996 Max flights this month, up from four carriers that made about 2,450 flights in January. Almost 8,700 Max trips are scheduled next month. United, which has 21 Max jets in its fleet and plans to take another two dozen this year, hasn’t seen a notable trend of customers booking away from the aircraft, a spokesman said. <br/>