@ucbalumnus good to know. Thanks. It did look like the routes mentioned might have been ones that were longer and perhaps less frequent dailies requiring a larger aircraft. My student’s flight is up and down CA (north to south) with many flights daily so I hope that means the 737-700 is the mostly/only used aircraft type. I’ll probably phone prior to each flight for a while to make sure they aren’t swapped out for the 737-max 8.
@intparent
Did you find out if your child’s plane is scheduled to be a 737-Max8? It appears they only have three of them in their fleet at this time.
Yes, the ticket says the leg between the US city & Reykjavik (both ways) is a 737 Max 8.
I’m soundly in the camp who feels this aircraft should be grounded until information is known, then until a fix if needed or we know it was something different and explainable. However, I can pretty much guarantee it’s still safer to fly than drive statistically. There have only been two crashes in 5 months with over thousands of flights and that’s worldwide. Just on my news this morning I’m hearing of a fatal car crash within my region. That’s at least a weekly occurrence.
When we fly out later this week we’re in more danger driving to the airport - then driving (or riding in a cab) in the country we’ll be in. It’s not stopping us from going. Life is fatal sooner or later. I’d rather truly live before I die instead of being scared of the end.
That said… both cars and airplanes should be recalled and fixed when there’s a known problem. Airbags are one of the ongoing problems in several cars - many still drive them while waiting to be fixed, so I suppose there’s a precedent with them to keep using them until a fix is ready. We just think nothing of it with cars.
@Creekland , I think about the statistics all the time. I believe a lot of people do. I don’t like to fly, but do so, because of those statistics. Approx. 50k people die every year in car crashes in the U.S., only one died last year in a commercial jet. It’s just this new jet is giving me great pause enough to not want to be on it.
@busdriver11 , there was an article in my paper today where it was discussing people changing their flights on SW. SW is telling people that if they want to know the type of plane they will be on, to call a day or two before. Similar to what you were saying. Do airlines change their planes in a shorter time span than that, if they are going to do it?
I really liked my original flight. It was an hour less and got there quicker. Plus, there is now a stopover where we don’t get off the plane. I don’t like that either, I’d rather get off, stretch my legs, do something, get on another plane. But that’s me.
I definitely feel there’s cause for concern and the planes should be grounded until there’s a fix or everyone is satisfied that there was something else causing the crash. I just wouldn’t think driving is safer if given those two options. If our flights this week were on the Max I wouldn’t cancel, but I’d probably find out how long I could hold my breath after takeoff. If there were other options (like with your situation), I’d take it. If there weren’t, I’d still fly.
We drive on the same interstates folks have crashed and died on too - even the day after we learn of a new death. There’s a memorial to a youngish lad who died in a car crash at the end of our road. I pass it daily.
NBC just reported the planes make 8500+ flights per week. All but two in the flying lifetime of the aircraft have been fine.
Two in four months out of 350 planes is a dismal record. Holding back from urgent action because it may jeopardize sales of 4500 is despicable.
Oh @intparent I feel for you! I just got confirmation that my son’s high school trip is not using airlines that use the 737 Max. If he was scheduled to be on one, I don’t know what I would do.
The CNN story as of this morning lists Icelandic Air as one of the airlines that is not grounding the plane.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/11/africa/max-8-operations-roundup-intl/index.html
I also checked my upcoming flights. I’m OK, but would likely have changed the ticket otherwise. My concern would be a last minute scramble if the 737 Max’s are grounded.
In answer to a question above, airlines can and do change planes up to the last minute. It’s only happened to me when shortly before departure time there was a switch due to mechanical problems with the planned plane. It made for many unhappy customers who expected a certain seat type - flat bed vs angled business class was my experience.
The British and Australians have both grounded the fleet. Once again, FAA is sticking with their business interests and refusing to ground the 737 Max.
Hopefully public pressure will sway what’s happening. Also hopefully they’ll analyze those black boxes pronto and force a grounding if it’s warranted.
Then I’ll admit to wishing as many people would be concerned about using cell phones while driving (or similar distractions drivers think nothing about).
I agree that if my flight was tomorrow, I wouldn’t cancel if I couldn’t get another flight. I would be an internal mess, though, and feel very guilty that my kids were with me.
I am flying AA in a week. I have calmed down a bit. AA has been flying the aircraft since 2017, no incident. Since both of the crashes involve a new aircraft, I wonder if it takes a while to get used but once pilots get familiar with the plane, they know how to handle?
The writing is on the wall. With bans spreading worldwide and consumer resistance to flying on this plane, FAA and the US airlines would have to react. They should have been more proactive.
The UK just banned all carriers from using the plane!
Haven’t read the full thread, but I would have no fear of flying in this plane. With over 100K flights to date and two crashes (yes, two too many), it is still safer than my drive to the airport.
^Yeah, not sure why everyone feels comfortable driving and is not protesting the thousands of highway deaths every year if they’re worried about two plane crashes out of 100,000. Just yesterday morning, three people were killed in a head-on car collision in a town near mine. “For 2016 specifically, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows 37,461 people were killed in 34,436 motor vehicle crashes, an average of 102 per day.” So in two days more people were killed in car crashes in the US than on that one plane.
@yourmomma said:
You said that with the authority of an aerospace design person. Please share your detailed insight.
Just got off a SW airlines flight. No idea what kind of plane, but it seemed new. Flying home tomorrow evening. Don’t think I’ll look up the model.
Elaine Chao is going with the business interests every time. And… Norwegian Air just grounded them “on the advice of European regulators” per Reuters.