Report: Boeing 737 MAX Jets Need 100-150 Hours Prep Before Flight

Once regulators approve Boeing Co BA's grounded 737 MAX jets for flight, each aircraft will require between 100 and 150 hours of preparation before flying, officials from the three U.S. airlines that operate the MAX told Reuters Thursday. 

The preparation required includes fluid changes, engine checks and uploading new software — and the estimate does not include pilot training, the report said.  

Southwest Airlines Co LUV is the world's largest Boeing 737 MAX operator with 34 jets, followed in the U.S. by American Airlines Group Inc AAL with 24 and United Continental Holdings Inc UAL with 14.

Southwest shares were down 3.06 percent at the close Thursday; American Airlines shares were down 1.4 percent; and United Continental was down 1.18 percent. 

Jets will only be removed from storage once regulators approve Boeing's software update to fix the MCAS flight control system, which is implicated in two fatal crashes that killed a total of 346 people. 

Boeing has not yet formally submitted a software update for the system to the FAA, Reuters said. 

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Photo by Konstantin von Wedelstaedt via Wikimedia.