Boeing 737 Max is returning to the skies over LA [Los Angeles Times :: BC-BOEING-MAX-RETURN:LA] About two years after a pair of deadly crashes, the Boeing 737 Max plane is returning to the skies above Los Angeles as part of its gradual return to worldwide commercial service. With a slew of investigations, tests, upgrades and regulatory approvals behind it, a 737 Max carrying passengers is set to take off Thursday from Los Angeles International Airport for the first time since March 2019, when the jetliner was grounded worldwide. A Brazilian airline was the first carrier to offer the 737 Max flights in early December, and U.S. airlines started returning the plane to service at the end of last year. The Houston-bound United Airlines trip departing at 2:37 p.m. will be the first 737 Max flight from LAX.