United Airlines says FAA has cleared 52 Boeing 777s to fly again after they were grounded for engine failure

A United Airlines Holdings Inc. Boeing 777-200 aircraft on the tarmac at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020.

The Federal Aviation Administration cleared the way for the return of 52 Boeing 777s that were grounded after an engine failure in February of 2021.

The final paperwork for the triple sevens was issued by the FAA late last night, United's chief commercial officer Andrew Nocella said.

The planes represent 10% of United's capacity.

The FAA approved the service bulletin that will be used to make the necessary changes outlined in the Airworthiness Directives.

The planes will be brought back gradually once they are cleared, starting later this month, and later expanding to international routes.

The planes were grounded after one of United's planes had an engine failure. It dropped debris in a residential area before returning to Denver's main airport. There were no injuries reported.

CNBC reported last month that the return had been delayed through at least May 13 from an expected return in April.

The carrier reported it expects second-quarter revenue per seat mile to rise as much as 25% over the course of the year, even though it would fly less.

Travelers have returned in droves after two years of the Pandemic.

In an interview with CNBC on Tuesday morning, United CEO Scott Kirby said there were no signs of resistance to pricing.