National Airlines shows off one of its Boeing aircraft at the Windsor International Airport, October 1, 2015. (Photo by Mike Vlasveld)National Airlines shows off one of its Boeing aircraft at the Windsor International Airport, October 1, 2015. (Photo by Mike Vlasveld)
Windsor

Air Canada 737s grounded until Canada Day

Air Canada is notifying flyers it intends to ground its 737 MAX aircraft until July 1.

The move comes after Transport Minister Marc Garneau grounded the entire Canadian fleet of Boeing 737s last week. Canada was one of the last countries to make the move following the deadly crash of an Air Ethiopia jet that killed 157 people including 18 Canadians.

The country's largest airline said it is updating its April and May schedules. Some routes are suspended while others will be rerouted. In most cases, it was able to substitute another aircraft and flights will depart as scheduled. Those whose flight times or flight numbers have changed will receive an email. The changes are also available in My Bookings on the Air Canada App.

Several Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft sit at Windsor International Airport on March 18, 2019. Photo courtesy MP Brian Masse's constituency office.

Since the timeline to return 737s into service is uncertain, it is grounding its Boeing 737 MAX fleet for the next few months to give customers certainty when they book flights. Cancellation and rebooking policies are in place with a full fee waiver for travellers who are affected by the changes.

For those who currently have a reservation for a flight scheduled on board a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, it is possible to make voluntary changes to your itinerary within three weeks of your original travel dates. Those customers can call Air Canada Reservations at 1-888-247-2262.

Air Canada is trying to rebook customers as soon as possible, but those calling a customer call centre may be put on hold for a while. Passengers travelling within the next 72 hours are advised to call 1-833-354-5963. Travellers who booked their flight through a travel agent are asked to call them directly for assistance.

Flights from Toronto's Pearson International Airport that have been rerouted or have had their departure times changed include Toronto to London-Heathrow, Vancouver, Edmonton, Saint Maarten, San Francisco, Seattle and New York-LaGuardia.

Up to 12,000 customers fly onboard Air Canada 737s daily. The air carrier operates 75 Boeing MAX flights, 24 of which are 737 MAX-8 aircraft, the same model that crashed in Ethiopia ten days ago and Indonesia last fall.

Related story: MP concerned about Boeing 737s grounded in Windsor

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