Alaska Airlines cancels more than 200 flights after FAA order

FILE PHOTO: Boeing's new 737 MAX-9 is pictured under construction at their production facility in Renton, Washington, U.S., February 13, 2017. Picture taken February 13, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Redmond/File Photo

(Reuters) -Alaska Airlines said it had canceled 170 flights on Sunday and a further 60 on Monday, after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the grounding of 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplanes to run inspections.

The airline said cancellations would continue through the first half of the week. The Sunday cancellations affected nearly 25,000 guests, added the Seattle-based carrier, which has 65 737 MAX 9 aircraft in its fleet.