CALGARY – WestJet says it plans to resume flying its fleet of 737 MAX aircraft later this month, pending approval by Transport Canada.

The announcement follows comments by Transport Canada late last year that safety experts had validated the aircraft design changes and outlined requirements for Canadian carriers to bring it a step closer to resuming flights.

The Boeing 737 Max aircraft has been grounded for nearly two years after technical issues led to deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has cleared the Max for flight, as long as carriers implement certain design fixes and provide specialized training to pilots.

WestJet says pending approval of the aircraft for commercial flights by Canadian authorities its first flight is set for Jan. 21.

It says it plans to operate three round-trip flights per week between Calgary and Toronto for four weeks, while it evaluates further routes and additional flights.

“As we continue working with Transport Canada on the additional Canadian requirements, our first MAX will be ready to return safely to service as of Jan. 21,” WestJet CEO Ed Sims said in a statement.

“While we don’t have final confirmation on when TC will open Canadian airspace to the 737 MAX aircraft, in the interest of transparency we are sharing our intent to fly once this confirmation is received.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2021.