Boeing 737 Max: What you should know if you’re booked on a flight

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Eight Americans were confirmed dead in the Ethiopia plane crash that killed 157 passengers and crew members.
USA TODAY

Boeing’s 737 Max 8 is in the spotlight following the Sunday crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight operated by aircraft. It was the second crash of the new 737 variant in less than six months. 

Safety experts says it’s too early to draw any definitive conclusions about the jet since investigations about the crashes are still ongoing. Still, some flyers have raised concerns after the latest accident. 

Here are some things to know about the Boeing 737 Max. 

If you’re booked on a 737 Max 8 flight now, can you cancel? Or get your money back?

Probably not, though there might be some wiggle room depending on the airline.
 
American passengers booked on flights operated on its Boeing 737 Max jets will be subject to the same change-fee rules as any of its other flights. 

Southwest hasn’t changed its policies either, spokesman Chris Mainz said to USA TODAY. 

Unlike its competitors, however, Southwest does not charge a fee for changing tickets. But passengers changing flights do have to pay the prevailing fare at the time they change their ticket, which usually means paying more money unless the original ticket was a last-minute purchase.

United Airlines doesn’t operate the Max 8 but it does have more than a dozen of the larger Max 9 version of the 737. United indicated via Twitter that it was open to helping skittish travelers find new options. 

“Your safety is our first priority. We completely understand,” the carrier said to one customer who tweeted concerns about the Max 8. “We don’t fly 737 Max 8 but we fly 737 Max 9. There are 14 in our fleet. If you prefer not to fly on one we completely understand and will do what is best in our capabilities to find alternative travel arrangements.”

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