Boeing 737 Max: Can I refuse to fly on the updated aircraft?

Simon Calder answers your questions on flight safety, getting charged for economy seats, bad weather and Kenyan currency

The plane has been grounded since March (Getty)

Q When I book a flight, I can check on the type of plane the operator is proposing to use. Can I specify that I will only accept the ticket if that type of plane is used? If the airline switches the plane to one I am not happy with (say because of a poor safety record) can I expect any redress if I refuse to fly?

Name supplied

A I presume you are asking because of concerns you have over the Boeing 737 Max. This is the plane whose flawed design led to two tragedies that between them claimed 346 lives. The aircraft type has been grounded worldwide since the second tragedy in March, but the planemaker says it is likely to fly before the end of the year and return to full service shortly after that – having had comprehensive software updates that are intended to rule out any repeat of the two crashes.