The FAA certified the 737 MAX 7 on Monday. By Wednesday it ordered crack inspections on 1,429 MAX jets, and the cause traces to the factory.
Southwest is the reason the airplane exists in this form. It holds most of the 282 outstanding firm orders and intends to use the MAX 7 to replace an aging fleet of 737-700s. The carrier has been waiting so long that it reorganized its entire commercial strategy around a different airplane in the meantime, adding assigned seating, extra-legroom rows and international flying while the smallest MAX sat in limbo. The aircraft allows Southwest to operate in airports where passenger volume struggles but are still important to the overall system.
I have argued before that the MAX family is a better airplane than its reputation, and I still think that. The MAX 7 is the version that makes the most commercial sense for the shortest missions, and Boeing needs deliveries more than it needs praise.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
