Alaska Airlines resumes flying its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft again.

Alaska Airlines has resumed flying Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft for the first time since they were grounded after a panel detached from one of its planes on January 5th.

In a statement, the airline indicated that it has completed inspections on an initial group of aircraft.

A Max 9 was able to be used for a flight from Seattle to San Diego on Friday afternoon.

On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the inspection and maintenance process necessary for the return of the Max 9 aircraft.

Alaska Airlines technicians began their inspections that night, the airline said, and they are expected to continue until the end of next week.

Inspections can take up to 12 hours per aircraft.

"Each of our 737 Max 9s will only be returned to service once rigorous inspections are completed. Each aircraft must be deemed airworthy in accordance with FAA requirements," the carrier stated in a statement released on Friday.

Often tested, Boeing faces a new crisis.

Bad news weighs on Boeing's stock.

Boeing's CEO acknowledges a "mistake" after theincident involving Alaska Airlines flight.United, another airline, also plans to resume the use of the Max 9 on Sunday, but a company spokesperson clarified that these aircraft could be used as standbys as early as Saturday.A

laska Airlines and United are the only two American airlines operating this particular model of the Boeing 737.

Alaska Airlines grounded its 65 Max 9 aircraft hours after the incident in which a door opened and detached from the fuselage during flight, at approximately 16,000 feet over Oregon.

This type of plug door is used to seal a door when the number of emergency exits is sufficient based on the number of seats in the aircraft.

The FAA grounded all Max 9s in the United States the day after the incident, which caused no serious injuries.

A Boeing executive apologizes.

WASHINGTON — The head of Boeing's commercial aircraft division apologized Friday night in a message to employees for the latest setbacks of the American industrial giant, as some 737 Max 9s return to the skies. "We are truly sorry for the significant disruptions and frustration for our customers," said Stan Deal in a message to his employees conveyed by Boeing to the press. Since the flight suspension ordered by the FAA, at Boeing, "our goal has been to assist our customers in resuming their operations," Stan Deal emphasized in his message to his teams on Friday. Now, "our long-term goal is to improve quality to regain the confidence of our customers, our regulator, and the flying public," he added. "Frankly, we've let them down, we've disappointed them," he even said before apologizing. Some 10,000 Boeing employees on Thursday halted work on the 737 Max production line near Seattle to "refocus on safety and discuss ways to improve our practices," according to Mr. Deal.