After almost 2 years of being grounded, on November 18th, 2020, Boeing 737 MAX was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for takeoff; however, some travelers are still reluctant to trust their lives to this aircraft. Airlines rush to reassure their customers that the jet has been recertified and is safe to board, but those who are not comfortable flying on the controversial plane will be able to change their tickets for free.

David Seymour, COO at American Airlines, wrote in a letter: “If our pilots, along with the APA, FAA and our safety teams are confident the aircraft is safe, we are confident in its return to service.” However, David also emphasized that everybody will make a personal decision, whether to fly on 737 MAX or not.

The passengers will have an option to request a different flight on a different type of airplane at no additional charge or get a refund for a refundable ticket. However, it cannot be guaranteed in advance that passengers who opt not to fly 737 MAX will not find themselves on the undesirable plane on the departure day as it might happen to be the only one available.

Those who have double feelings about the jet’s safety are reminded that there is a long way the aircraft has already gone and is still to go to return to flying. Maintenance checks, readiness flights, mandatory simulator training for pilots, and more will have to be ensured before it gets set to fly passengers again.