Following the recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines flight, where a door plug flew off a Boeing 737-9 Max, travel search engine Kayak has observed a significant surge in the usage of its aircraft filter. The platform reported a 15-fold increase in travelers using the filter to identify the type of aircraft before booking their flights.
Kayak CEO Steve Hafner highlighted the platform's commitment to assisting concerned travelers, stating, "Kayak makes it easy for concerned travelers to avoid 737 Max flights." In response to the increased demand, Kayak has made the aircraft filter more prominent on its platform and enhanced its functionality. Users can now search specifically for 737-8 Max and 737-9 Max aircraft models, whereas previously, the 737 Max models were grouped together.
The aircraft filter was initially introduced by Kayak in 2019, following the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash and the Lion Air Flight 610 crash in 2018, both of which involved Boeing 737 Max planes. The recent spike in filter usage occurred between Saturday and Wednesday, although Kayak did not specify the baseline usage before this period.
Currently, Boeing 737-9 Max planes have been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration, and it remains unclear how long the grounding will last. The Boeing 737 Max-8 model, however, continues to be in operation.
Hafner also advised passengers to remain vigilant after purchasing their tickets, as airlines often substitute aircraft. "Airlines do often substitute equipment—so travelers should double check before departure," he said.
Competing platforms like Google Flights display the type of aircraft in search results but do not offer a filter by type. Similarly, Skyscanner confirmed to PhocusWire that it does not provide such a filter.
This increase in Kayak's aircraft filter usage reflects growing traveler concerns about aircraft safety and the desire for more transparency and control over their flight choices.
