American Airlines flight 718 taking off from Miami, Florida, on Tuesday. – REUTERSPIXBoeing's 737 MAX resumed passenger flights in the United States for the first time on Tuesday after a 20-month safety ban was lifted last month.American and planemaker Boeing have sought to reassure the public over the plane's safety after it was cleared by US regulators in November to resume flights.
"This aircraft is ready to go," American president Robert Isom said at a media briefing in Miami before the flight. The airline is confident in the safety of the 737 MAX, he added. American is the third carrier globally to resume flights following Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes and Grupo Aeromexico earlier this month. Between those two airlines, the updated 737 MAX has flown about 250 commercial flights, according to Cirium, the aviation data firm.