(CNN) — Two US airlines fly the 737 MAX 8 -- the type of jet that crashed last year in Indonesia killing 189 people and on Sunday in Ethiopia killing all 157 on board. American Airlines -- which flies 24 of the new planes -- said in a statement to CNN on Monday that it is monitoring the investigation in Ethiopia and following last year's Federal Aviation Administration directive after the crash in Indonesia of Lion Air Flight 610 The airline "continues to collaborate with the FAA and other regulatory authorities" and it has "full confidence in the aircraft," the statement said. Southwest -- which includes 34 737 MAX 8s in its fleet -- said in a statement it doesn't plan to change its operational policies or procedures and it remains confident in the safety of its entire fleet. "We have been in contact with Boeing and will continue to stay close to the investigation as it progresses," Southwest said in the statement. l e v a r t It's very early in the investigation. Because the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were only recovered Monday, the two crashes have not been directly linked . There are countless reasons a plane can crash -- including birds flying into engines, a problem with weight balance or pilot error. "This is all so premature," said John Gogila -- former National Transportation Safety Board member. "What I would offer is a word of caution. We need to get the data analyzed first and then decide how to move forward." Goglia said airlines that fly the 737 MAX 8 should be reviewing their flight training for the aircraft. 'Behind the scenes at airlines' "You can't underestimate the power of what goes on behind the scenes at airlines," said William Voss, a former FAA deputy director and ex-CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation. "If they think they have a threat, they will step up and respond independently." Investigators in the Lion Air crash suspect the crash was caused by an angle of attack (AOA) sensor on the outside of the plane which transmitted incorrect data that could have triggered a kind of auto-pilot system called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) that forced the plane's nose down. Related content Lion Air crash: Pilots fought automatic safety system before plane plunged Voss said he thinks airlines that fly the 737 MAX 8 have been "doubling up on inspections of sensors" and making sure all pertinent information about the plane has been communicated to pilots. "And I would be in continuous communications with Boeing," Voss said. In November Boeing issued an "Operations Manual Bulletin" advising airline operators how to address erroneous cockpit readings. It pointed airlines "to existing flight crew procedures to address circumstances where there is erroneous input from an AOA sensor," a Boeing statement said. The FAA later issued its own emergency airworthiness directive that advised pilots about how to respond to similar problems. Boeing's bestselling passenger jet is facing increased scrutiny after being involved in two deadly crashes in less than five months, a situation that threatens to tarnish the US plane maker's reputation for safety. Voss also warned against rampant speculation about the investigation and allowing social media to drive it. "Social media has changed the way we see the world but nothing has changed the reality and physics of human error," he said. "So we can't let social media drive decisions about reality." United Airlines flies a different version of the 737 MAX -- the 737 MAX 9. It currently has 14 in its fleet. Although there are no reports that MAX 9s have had any trouble with their AOA sensors, the FAA included that type of plane in its November emergency directive How to know if you're booked on a 737 MAX 8 For passengers, there are three fairly simple ways to know if you're booked to fly on a 737 MAX 8. 1. Check your airline site or app. Clicking on the flight number will show you what type of airplane is assigned to the flight. 2. Check the registration of the airplane on the FAA site. Before you board, note the registration number which is clearly marked on the side of the plane. Plug that number into the Before you board, note the registration number which is clearly marked on the side of the plane. Plug that number into the FAA registration data base here<doc-sep>Following a deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash involving a 737 Max 8 jet over the weekend, some airlines and countries have at least temporarily grounded flights involving the Boeing aircraft – however, the U.S. has not. A number of U.S. carriers operate the Boeing Max series aircraft, including the Max 8 model, which was also involved in the Lion Air crash less than six months ago. In a statement released on Sunday, Boeing expressed its sympathies for the families of the victims and said technicians will be traveling to the crash site to provide assistance as an investigation into the cause of the crash ensues. Meanwhile, the 737 Max has orders for more than 5,000 aircraft, according to Boeing. More than 330 were delivered as of January. The average list price for the Max 8 is $117.1 million. Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines operates 34 Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliners, the airlines confirmed to FOX Business in a statement. Southwest Airlines was the first flight operator in North America to receive a 737 Max 8 delivery. Shares of Southwest started Monday’s trading session in the red. Ticker Security Last Change Change % LUV SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. 61.76 +0.54 +0.88% A spokesperson for the company said it is in contact with Boeing, but remains “confident in the safety and airworthiness of our entire fleet of more than 750 Boeing 737 aircraft.” It does not have plans to change its 737 Max operations. American Airlines American Airlines has 24 737 Max jets in its fleet. The airline said it is closely monitoring the investigation, but remains fully confident in the aircraft and its staff. Following the Lion Air crash, in which the jet is believed to have abruptly dived after incorrect readings from angle-of-attack sensors, American said in November it was unaware of issues related to new functions of Boeing’s 737 Max 8 jetliners. United Airlines The number of 737 Max jets in United Airlines’ fleet is 14 – though they are Max 9. United has no Max 8 aircraft in its fleet. The company has made clear that the aircraft is safe and that its pilots are properly trained to fly the jet. Air Canada Air Canada has 24 737 Max jets in its fleet, which are available for select flights within North America and international routes, according to its website. The company did not immediately return FOX Business’ request for comment regarding its plans to continue operating those aircraft. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP Other airlines that operate the jetliners are FlyDubai, Norwegian and WestJet. China and Indonesia grounded all 737 Max 8 jets – meaning Air China, Lion Air and China South will not be flying theirs.<doc-sep>(CNN) Passengers do not have many options if they are booked on flights in the United States and learn that they will be on the same model of aircraft, the 737 MAX 8, that crashed in Ethiopia over the weekend. While passengers can always choose not to get on a plane if they feel unsafe, the two major US airlines that have 737 MAX 8 planes are not grounding those aircraft or changing their standard flight cancellation, change or refund policies. An Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, Kenya, crashed Sunday morning, killing all 157 people on board, according to the airline. The flight was on a 737 MAX 8 plane made by Boeing, an American company. This is the second fatal crash of a 737 MAX 8 in the past six months. After Sunday's crash, passengers booked on Southwest and American airlines, both US-based companies that fly the Boeing model, began asking questions on Twitter about the safety of their upcoming flights. Southwest spokesperson Brian Parrish said they were "fielding some questions" from customers asking if they were booked on 737 MAX 8 aircraft. He said they were responding to customers individually and that they "remain confident in the safety and airworthiness of our fleet of more than 750 Boeing aircraft." American Airlines said it continues "to collaborate with the FAA and other regulatory authorities" and that they "have full confidence in the aircraft and our crew members, who are the best and most experienced in the industry." @SouthwestAir are you planning on grounding the supermax?#Boeing — Phil Angel (@philangel72) March 11, 2019 @SouthwestAir can you publish a list of routes for the 737 max so I can avoid them? — Chris Coffee (@ChrisCoffee1126) March 11, 2019 Read More<doc-sep>
An American Airlines Boeing 737 Max-8, traveling from Miami to New York City, lands at LaGuardia Airport on March 11, 2019 Photo : Getty Images The Boeing 737 Max-8 is one of the newest commercial airplanes in the sky. But after yesterday’s crash that killed 157 people in Ethiopia, it’s already involved in two of the deadliest crashes of the past few years. Sadly, another Boeing 737 Max-8 crashed in Indonesia this past October, killing 189 people. China and Indonesia have grounded all of their Max-8 planes, but the two U.S.-based carriers that operate the Max-8, American Airlines and Southwest Air, have no plans to stop using the aircraft. No other U.S.-based airline currently has the Max-8. “Our heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the passengers and Employees on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302,” a spokesperson for Southwest said in an email to Gizmodo. “We remain confident in the safety and airworthiness of our fleet of more than 750 Boeing aircraft.” Southwest has ordered 250 of the Max-8 model from Boeing, but currently has just 34 operating in its fleet. American Airlines ordered 100 from Boeing and currently has 24 in operation. “American continues to collaborate with the FAA and other regulatory authorities, as the safety of our team members and customers is our number one priority. We have full confidence in the aircraft and our crew members, who are the best and most experienced in the industry,” a spokesperson for American Airlines told Gizmodo over email. It’s too soon to know what caused the crash in Ethiopia, but the plane may have experienced similar problems to the Lion Air flight that crashed in October. Both crashes happened shortly after takeoff after pilots reportedly experienced issues controlling altitude. In the case of the Lion Air flight, the plane was apparently getting false readings from sensors. After that crash, Boeing is said to have issued a warning that automated systems could push the nose of the plane down, causing it to abruptly dive. “Boeing is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the passengers and crew on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a 737 MAX 8 airplane,” Paul R. Bergman, a spokesperson for Boeing, told Gizmodo via email. “We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of the passengers and crew on board and stand ready to support the Ethiopian Airlines team.” “A Boeing technical team will be travelling to the crash site to provide technical assistance under the direction of the Ethiopia Accident Investigation Bureau and U.S. National Transportation Safety Board,” said Bergman. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not ordered anyone to stop using the Boeing 737 Max-8, but customers are understandably concerned. Some people are even taking to social media to tell Southwest and American that they’ll be cancelling their flights because they want to avoid that particular aircraft. How can you tell what kind of plane you’ll be on? The best resource online is called SeatGuru. Just type in your airline’s name, the date you’re flying, and the flight number. The 737 Max-8 is advertised as having the “widest economy seat” of all the 737s. But that extra room might not be worth it when two Max-8 aircraft have fallen out of the sky.