The Chinese Civil Aviation Administration ordered an immediate halt to all domestic Boeing 737 MAX 8 flights on March 10, 2019, citing safety protocols following the Ethiopian Airlines disaster. The move came hours after the same aircraft model crashed near Addis Ababa, killing all 157 aboard.
Ethiopian Airlines announced its own fleet grounding on the same day, stating investigations into the ET 302/10 March incident would determine when operations could resume. The airline's statement emphasized: "Following the tragic accident of ET 302/10 March B-737-8 Max (ET-AVJ), Ethiopian Airlines has decided to ground all B-737-8 Max fleet effectively March 10, 2019 until further notice."
The grounding action aligns with China's "zero tolerance for safety hazards" policy, though no technical faults have been officially confirmed. Aviation authorities worldwide are reviewing data from the Ethiopian Airlines crash, which occurred just minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa Airport.
