China's Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) has ordered airlines to halt operations of all Boeing 737 MAX aircraft following two fatal crashes involving the model. The directive, effective by 6pm on Monday, comes after an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crashed shortly after takeoff on March 10, killing all 157 aboard, and a Lion Air 737 MAX 8 crash in October 2018 that claimed 189 lives.
CAAC Highlights Safety Concerns ¶
The CAAC statement cited similarities between the two incidents, noting both involved newly delivered 737-8 planes and occurred during takeoff. The agency pledged to coordinate with Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to determine when flights could resume.
"Given that two accidents both involved newly delivered Boeing 737-8 planes and happened during take-off phase, they have some degree of similarity."
The U.S. has not followed China's suspension, with a senior official stating no plans to ground the fleet due to its strong safety record in American airspace. However, the FAA has initiated a review of Boeing's MCAS system, which was implicated in the Lion Air crash.
Impact on Airline Operations ¶
Chinese carriers including China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines have grounded their 737 MAX fleets. Caijing reported that flights using the model will instead employ 737-800 variants. FlightRadar24 data showed China Eastern's four 737 MAX jets landed on Sunday with no further scheduled departures until Tuesday.
The 737 MAX, introduced in 2017, has faced scrutiny over its automated flight control system. Ethiopian Airlines confirmed 32 Kenyan citizens were among the victims of the March 10 crash.
