United Airways passengers confronted delays on Monday after 5 jets had been grounded as a consequence of a peculiar rule about “No Smoking” indicators, an airline spokesperson informed Enterprise Insider.
Earlier within the day, United wrote to the Division of Transportation requesting its Airbus A321neo plane be exempted from a requirement that flight crew be capable of flip the indicators on or off.
The rule exists though smoking was banned on all US flights 24 years in the past.
In its letter, United mentioned 4 of the 5 Boeing fashions it operates are additionally geared up with the indicators “hardwired” to remain illuminated always.
These jets — the 737, 757, 767, and 777 — had been granted an exemption again in 2020 by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Nevertheless, it appears to be like like United forgot to get an exemption for the A321neo earlier than it entered service final December. The airline ordered 70 of the jets in 2021, and one other 60 final 12 months.
They use its up to date “United Subsequent” inside, which can also be being retrofitted on different single-aisle jets.
There’s undoubtedly one thing happening with United’s A321neo fleet proper now. Solely two are within the air and all later scheduled A321neo flights for as we speak are swapped to 737 and A319/320 as a consequence of some type of “operational inspection.” https://t.co/PJ9i1QRzn4 pic.twitter.com/nQU7I4e1WK
— Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) February 12, 2024
“We’re eradicating our 5 Airbus A321neo plane from service whereas we search FAA approval for the ‘No Smoking’ signal to stay routinely illuminated moderately than operated from the cockpit,” United mentioned in an announcement to BI.
No flights had been canceled as United managed to exchange the A321neos with different plane varieties.
The FAA informed BI it was “working to rapidly resolve a non-safety difficulty that United Airways found with a few of its Airbus A321neo plane.”
Round 4 hours after these statements, a United spokesperson mentioned the FAA gave it permission to maintain working the jets whereas it evaluates the exemption request.
There have been a “handful of delays” because the A321neos had been “briefly out of service,” the spokesperson added.
