Originally Posted by
JDiver
Nobody knows how long the grounding will last. Theoretically, it could be early April - or much later if the FAA and airlines aren’t satisfied with the MCAS update. So it appears AA is not making changes to some schedules because they’re still deciding how some flights will be operated, and if they’re after April 4 they’re still hoping the MAX aircraft will be cleared.
If they’re not, they’ll likely extend the current policy.
AA can likely take up some slack during shoulder season, but when Summer high season arrives it could be challenging.
AA has now published Frequently asked questions:
It discusses that AA may cancel unrelated flights to use the aircraft as a replacement for a 7M8 route.
What is not answered is ability to change flight if on a 7M8 or if you book a 738 now and it later gets changed to a 7M8.
Latest news reports they are looking at the flight controls and the location and size of the nacelle which can destabilize the aircraft pitch. The analysis is not complete, but this points more to a structural design and not just a software patch over a weekend.