This archive report was first published on 14 October 2019.
On October 14, 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a directive to Kenya Airways and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to inspect their fleet of Boeing 737 new-generation aircraft.
The directive, which came after the FAA discovered cracks on the 737 aircraft, including models such as the Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800, and Boeing 737-900, could see some of the Kenya Airways planes grounded.
Kenya Airways operates eight Boeing 737-800 planes and three Boeing 737-700 airplanes. The airline's chairman, Michael Joseph, confirmed that the inspection is ongoing, while KCAA Director-General Gilbert Kibe stated that the checkup is being carried out by engineers.
The FAA instructed airline operators to conduct specific inspections, make necessary repairs, and report findings to the agency immediately.
The directive comes a few months after the Boeing 737-800 Max was grounded due to a software breakdown that led to the crash of two aircraft in Ethiopia and Indonesia.
