Flying Southwest? Here's How To Check If You'll Be In A Boeing 737 MAX 8
PITTSBURGH (CBS Local) — After the deadly crash of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 in Ethiopia took 157 lives, some airlines are grounding their aircraft.
It is the second time in less than six months that one of the planes has crashed within minutes of takeoff, after a new Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight went down over the Java Sea last October, killing 189 people.
Southwest Airlines still has 34 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in their fleet of more than 750 Boeing 737s.
The airline released a statement Monday in response to the crash in Ethiopia:
"As the investigation of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 progresses, we are staying in close contact with Boeing, the FAA, and other airlines. We operate 34 MAX 8 aircraft in our fleet of more than 750 Boeing 737s. We remain confident in the safety and airworthiness of the MAX 8. We don't have any changes planned to our MAX 8 operating plans."
If you are flying Southwest, you can check what aircraft you'll be flying in on the company's website. When you're booking the flight, click on the flight number to find the information.
If you cannot find the information on the website, or have already booked your flight, you can check on various online plane trackers.