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American Air CEO Says ‘We Shall See’ How to Get Customers on Max

American Air CEO Says ‘We Shall See’ How to Get Customers on Max

(Bloomberg) -- The world’s largest airline is bracing for short-term passenger anxiety about flying on the Boeing Co. 737 Max, which was grounded in March after two deadly crashes in a five-month span.

“There may be some period of time’’ in which customers have misgivings, American Airlines Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker said in an interview with NBC, which will be aired in full late Wednesday. “But we’ll work through that.’’

American Air CEO Says ‘We Shall See’ How to Get Customers on Max

Airlines will soon face the delicate task of coaxing passengers back onto Boeing’s best-selling jet, once the aircraft is cleared to return to the skies. The planemaker is finalizing an update to software implicated in both accidents, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is hosting global regulators at a meeting on Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas, to discuss next steps.

“What we need to do is have the airplane be deemed airworthy, be back in service, have American Airlines pilots flying,’’ Parker told NBC’s Lester Holt in a passage of the interview that the broadcaster tweeted. “I know that if that’s the case, the airplane’s 100% safe, as will most of our customers. And over time, others will see that and come to the same conclusion.’’

United’s Reaction

At United Continental Holdings Inc., CEO Oscar Munoz said he would be on the airline’s first Max flight once the grounding ends, according to Reuters and the Chicago Tribune. The carrier will also rebook passengers who don’t want to fly on the plane, he said.

Parker echoed the sentiment: ``If there’s an American Airlines pilot ready to go, so am I. So is my family. We’ll be among the first people, if not the first people, on board.’’

American has 24 of the grounded jets with more on the way. The Fort Worth-based carrier has removed the plane from its schedule through Aug. 19, and there’s no timetable for the aircraft to reenter service.

Asked how to convince passengers to get back on the Max once the grounding is lifted, the CEO acknowledged that some wouldn’t immediately feel comfortable.

“We shall see,’’ Parker said. “I don’t know at this point, given the heightened level of interest in this and the news around it, that any amount of marketing would do that.’’

To contact the reporter on this story: Brendan Case in Dallas at bcase4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Case at bcase4@bloomberg.net, Susan Warren

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