Southwest has taken 30 of its Boeing 737 Max aircraft off its schedule at the recommendation of Boeing.
The aircraft manufacturer said Friday that it has recommended to 16 airline customers that they address a potential electrical issue in a specific group of Max planes prior to further operations.
"The recommendation is being made to allow for verification that a sufficient ground path exists for a component of the electrical power system," Boeing said.
The potential electrical issue has no relation to the automatic flight control system that was responsible for two Max crashes between October 2018 and March 2019, a Boeing spokesman said. Those crashes caused 346 deaths and prompted the aircraft to be grounded globally for 20 months.
Southwest, which is a leader in Max orders, said it has not experienced operational challenges related to the electrical issue, but 30 of its 58 Max aircraft are affected by the Boeing notification. They have been removed from the schedule for further review and will be replaced by spare Boeing 737 NGs.
"Southwest anticipates minimal disruption to our operation, and we appreciate the understanding of our customers and employees as safety is always our uncompromising priority," the carrier said.