Southwest prepares 737 MAX jets' return from desert, says some customers wary

Southwest has sent a team of mechanics to Victorville, California, to start the long process of bringing its 34 Boeing 737 MAX jets out of their desert hibernation, after the planes’ permission to fly was restored. How passengers will feel about flying in the aircraft is unclear, although Southwest customers’ response to the MAX in a recent survey was positive, executives said. About 25% have indicated that they are not comfortable flying on the jet but expect their comfort level to improve once it has been flying for a period of time, a spokesman told Reuters when asked for more details. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday lifted a 20-month grounding of the Boeing Co 737 MAX sparked by two crashes that together killed 346 people within five months and mandated a series of safety changes airlines must complete before the jets can fly with passengers again. Low-cost carrier Southwest is the largest 737 MAX operator in the world and was betting heavily on the aircraft to expand its business before the coronavirus pandemic sapped demand. It still wants the jets, with about 15% better fuel-efficiency than other 737 models, but will closely monitor customer response, executives said Thursday.<br/>