Without The Boeing 737 MAX 10, How Would United Airlines Fill The Gap?

As part of the fallout from the January 5th incident of Alaska Airlines flight AS1282, United Airlines is re-evaluating its plans to operate the Boeing 737 MAX 10. While the incident involved a MAX 9 variant, it is widely believed that increased scrutiny and oversight of Boeing operations will lead to further delays – not just for aircraft deliveries, but for the certification of two other 737 variants: the MAX 7 and 10. With all of this in mind, it seems like a good opportunity to examine the capabilities of the longest 737 MAX variant and what options airlines like United have in replacing it.