Copa Airlines 737 MAX 9 becomes first grounded jet to be put back in service (updated)

Copa Holdings

25/01/2024 20:47

(Recasts, adds Copa confirmation of flight in 2, background in
paragraph 3)
       WASHINGTON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - A Copa Airlines  CPA.N 
jet became the first 737 MAX 9 to return to service on Thursday,
after 171 Boeing MAX 9s were grounded this month in the wake of
an accident involving a mid-air blowout on an Alaska Airlines
plane. 
        A Copa spokesperson confirmed that it had returned the
aircraft to service.
  
        The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration 
    on Wednesday
     approved an inspection process that will allow grounded MAX
9s to return to service. Copa follows FAA directives. 
  
    The plane took off from Panama City at 12:11 p.m. local time
on Thursday en route for Sao Paulo, Brazil, according to
FlightRadar24. 
    Copa said earlier it had received authorization for its 21
grounded MAX 9s to undergo inspections and would reinstate
flights that had previously been canceled on Thursday. 
    Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
FAA bars Boeing from increasing MAX output but ends partial
grounding     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N3EE22I
Boeing presses suppliers on tightening bolts after loose parts
found in 737 MAX 9 checks     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N3ED2K3
Boeing shares tumble after US grounds some 737 MAX jets   
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N3DY147
FACTBOX-What airlines, regulators are doing about Boeing 737 MAX
9 jets     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N3E00EA
ANALYSIS-Mid-air blowout puts Boeing back in the hot seat    
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N3DW0EP
EXPLAINER-How is the panel that blew off a plane made, and how
did it break?     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N3DY1V4
GRAPHIC-How a panel blew off a Boeing plane in mid-air    https://tmsnrt.rs/3NYwhX5
GRAPHIC-Door plug in Boeing 737 MAX 9    https://tmsnrt.rs/3NQVgvy
GRAPHIC-the biggest customers of the Boeing 737 MAX 9    https://tmsnrt.rs/48LH2E0
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
 (Reporting by Valerie Insinna and Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing
by Nick Zieminski)
 ((Valerie.Insinna@thomsonreuters.com;))