Several Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft were temporarily suspended from taking flight this Sunday after a cabin panel blew out on one of its planes last Friday.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced that 171 737 Max 9 aircraft worldwide are "temporarily grounded" as it continues its investigation on the incident.
The regulators said emergency inspections may "take around four to eight hours per aircraft," CNN reported.
Alaska Airlines, where the incident happened, said flight disruptions are likely to occur in the following days "until details about possible additional maintenance work are confirmed with the FAA."
Alaska Airlines canceled 160 flights following the incident, affecting over 23,000 customers traveling across the globe.
Alaska Airlines Cabin Panel Incident
The investigations were launched due to Alaska Airlines flight 1282, which was headed to Ontario, California, suddenly having to make an emergency landing when the cabin panel in row 26 suddenly burst open.
No injuries were reported with both seats 26A and 26B were unoccupied during the flight.
Boeing has already notified airlines to inspect its 737 Max jets ahead of the incident for a potential loose bolt after an airline detected similar issues last month.
The aircraft manufacturer is currently working with the FAA and safety regulators to "gather more information" on the next steps following the incident.
The suspension not only affects Alaska Airlines as the Max 9 aircraft is also used by other major airlines including Copa Airlines, Aeromexico, SCAT Airlines, Iceland Air, Turkish Airlines, and FlyDubai.
Alternative Flight Options for Affected Passengers
While Alaska Airlines has already offered refunds and other compensations for all affected passengers, the canceled flight remains a headache for customers who are catching a schedule.
With many coming from their holiday vacations, the best course of action for an immediate flight is to book another flight via United Airlines and American Airlines.
For passengers en route to Canada, WestJet is a better option for a low-budget flight.
All passengers are advised that the airlines might be experiencing more congested traffic in the following days due to the flight cancellations.
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