Boeing 737 MAX Nails First Passenger Flight In US After Long Ban

The Boeing 737 MAX has returned to commercial service in the US with a flight that took place through American Airlines. The trip, which included AA's President Robert Isom as one of the passengers, went from Miami to New York, the route that will be used for daily flights as American Airlines eases the airliner back into service.

The Boeing 737 Max has had a rocky history in the nearly two years since two deadly crashes that claimed 346 lives, resulting in the planes being grounded. Months of work and repeated delays led up to the FAA rescinding its Emergency Order of Prohibition applied to the 737 MAX jets last month.

The first airline to resume passenger flights on the 737 MAX was GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA in Brazil. As of today, American Airlines gets the distinction of being the first airline in the US to offer 737 MAX commercial service. The trip from Miami to New York was described by an airline spokesperson to the WSJ as 'mostly full.'

Despite the approval, some people remain hesitant to book flights on the jet. To ease concerns, American Airlines is now announcing the type of aircraft used when boarding and informs passengers if a scheduling change ends up moving them to a 737 MAX aircraft.

By slowly reintroducing the jet, the airline aims to give customers time to regain confidence in the airliner. Competitors Southwest Airlines and United Airlines both plan to reintroduce the 737 MAX early next year, with United kicking things off in February and Southwest in March.