Ethiopian Plane Crash: Piece of Stabiliser Similar to Lion Air Jet
The move comes days after an Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed near Addis Ababa, killing 157 people on board.
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The Boeing on Friday, 15 March said that it is suspending the deliveries of all 737 MAX aircraft after the grounding, adding that the production will continue, as per AFP.
Meanwhile, air passengers face the grim prospects of high air fares and fewer flight choices as several airlines cancel operations due to a number of reasons including the grounding of 737-MAX aircraft.
According to industry insiders, some sectors have shown a rise of more than 100 percent in last-minute bookings.
- US President Donald Trump ordered all Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft to be grounded in US after the crash
- DGCA has said that all 737 MAX 8 aircraft have been grounded as of 4 pm on Wednesday
- On 12 March, the DGCA said that it would “immediately” ground the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft
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Wave of Countries Announces Ban on Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft
Air safety regulators in at least 40 countries have either grounded Boeing 737 MAX jets or banned them from their airspace. In addition, at least 10 airlines worldwide have stopped flying the planes.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which covers 32 countries, announced on Tuesday, 12 March, that it would ban the planes from flying in its airspace. Other countries that have either grounded the planes or temporarily banned them include China, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Oman, Malaysia and Australia.
Airlines that have stopped using the planes include Gol Airlines of Brazil, Cayman Airways, Ethiopian Airways, Jet Airways of India, Aeromexico, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Turkish Airlines, Eastar Jet of South Korea, Smartwings of the Czech Republic and LOT of Poland.
US Says 'No Basis' for Grounding Aircraft
The US aviation regulator maintained that there was "no basis" for grounding Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft.
“Thus far, our review shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft,” Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Chief Daniel Elwell said in a statement, according to an AFP report.
"Nor have other civil aviation authorities provided data to us that would warrant action."
"In the course of our urgent review of data on the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash, if any issues affecting the continued airworthiness of the aircraft are identified, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action," the FAA added.
SpiceJet Announces Decision to Ground Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft
Shortly after the DGCA directive to ground all Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, airline SpiceJet announced that they would be suspending all the aircraft’s operations. It said in a statement: “Safety and security of our passengers, crew and operations are of utmost importance to us.”
DGCA Gives Till 4 PM to Ground Boeing 737 MAX 8 Aircraft
The DGCA on Wednesday, 13 March, said that all Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft would be grounded by 4 pm on the day. The aviation watchdog clarified that the time was given to cater to situations where aircraft needed to fly back to India or go to maintenance facilities for parking.
A DGCA spokesperson said, “Additionally, no B737 MAX aircraft will be allowed to enter or transit the Indian airspace effective from 1600 hrs Indian time or 1030 UTC.”
Aviation Ministry Calls Meeting at 4 PM With All Airlines
The Civil Aviation Ministry will hold a meeting with all airlines at 4 pm on Wednesday to prepare a contingency plan as a number of flights have been cancelled following the grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, a senior government official told PTI.
SpiceJet Cancels 14 Flights on Wednesday
SpiceJet has cancelled 14 flights for Wednesday, 13 March, and will be operating additional flights from Thursday, 14 March, a statement said. This decision comes after the DGCA directive to ground all Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The airline has around 12 such aircraft in its fleet.
“Of the 76 planes in our fleet, 64 aircraft are in operations and we are confident of minimising the inconvenience to our passengers and attain normalcy in our operations," according to the statement, reported PTI.
Accommodate Passengers, No Extra Charges: Aviation Ministry
The Civil Aviation Ministry has asked SpiceJet and Jet Airways to come up with a full plan on how to accommodate passengers of cancelled flights. They have been asked to make sure that they will not take extra charges from the passengers, reported ANI.
SpiceJet, Jet Airways Shares Hit by Boeing 737 MAX Ban
Shares of SpiceJet slumped 8 percent in morning trade on BSE after India banned Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes. Following the announcement, shares of SpiceJet opened on a weak note at Rs 74, then fell further to touch an intra-day low of Rs 72.50, down 7.99 percent over its previous close of Rs 78.80.
Shares of Jet Airways also witnessed a similar trend. The stock opened at Rs 241.70, then lost further ground and fell to a low of Rs 236.70, down 3.64 percent over its last closing price of Rs 245.65 on BSE.
Hong Kong Temporarily Suspends Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft
Hong Kong on Wednesday, 13 March, barred Boeing 737 MAX airliners from its airspace, the latest in a series of government bans worldwide in the wake of the crash. The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) said it was imposing a temporary suspension from 6 pm local time on Wednesday until further notice on "operation of Boeing B737 MAX aircraft into, out of and over Hong Kong".
The ban is "solely a precautionary measure to ensure aviation safety and protect the public", a CAD spokesperson added.
Black Box from Crashed Plane to Be Sent Overseas for Analysis
The black box from the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed on 10 March will be sent overseas for analysis but no country has been chosen, an Ethiopian Airlines spokesperson said on Wednesday, 13 March. Speaking to AP, spokesperson Asrat Begashaw said that the airline has “a range of options” for the data and voice records of the flight’s last moments. “What we can say is we don’t have the capability to probe it here in Ethiopia,” he said.
Lebanon Joins Ranks of Countries Banning Boeing 737 MAX
Lebanon's state news agency reported on Wednesday, 13 March, that the country's civil aviation authority has barred Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from landing or flying in Lebanese skies following the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines jetliner.
Notice to Airmen Issued Banning Boeing 737 MAX Operators in Indian Airspace
A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) has been issued for banning Boeing 737 MAX operators in Indian airspace, effective from 1030 UTC or 1600 hrs (Indian time) on Wednesday till further order, reported ANI.
Norwegian Air Shuttles to Seek Compensation from Boeing
Norwegian Air Shuttles said on Wednesday, 13 March, that it will seek compensation from aircraft-maker Boeing after the low-cost carrier grounded its fleet of 737 MAX 8 aircraft, reported AP.
Carrier spokesperson Tonje Naess told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the Oslo-based airline "should not have any financial burden for a brand new aircraft that will not to be used."
Norwegian Air Shuttles had grounded its 18 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft on recommendation from European aviation authorities on Tuesday, 12 March.
Kosovo Bans Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft
Kosovo has barred the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 738 MAX 9 airplanes from its airspace following the Ethiopia crash. The country’s civil aviation authority said in a statement on Wednesday, 13 March, that the decision was taken because of "the investigation of the equipment" of the planes, adding that it is effective immediately.
Services of Boeing 737 MAX Jets to Be Resumed Only After Safety Modifications: Sinha
Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said services of the aircraft would take place only after safety modifications.
“After discussions with airlines, regulators and aircraft manufacturers, we decided last night that these planes be grounded and that their services will be resumed only after safety modifications are done in the aircraft,” he said.
Ethiopia Cannot Read Black Boxes from Crash: Airlines
Ethiopia cannot read black boxes from Ethiopian Airlines crash, 'might be' sent abroad, the airlines said, reported AFP.
Lion Air Confirms Pausing Boeing Delivery
Lion Air has confirmed reports saying it has put on hold the scheduled delivery of four Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets while it waits for the outcome of the Indonesian investigation into its October crash that killed 189 people.
Speaking at a transport ministry news conference in Jakarta about the grounding of MAX 8 planes, Lion Air executive Daniel Putut said the airline needs to know the "root cause" of the accident.
Lion Air ordered 222 Boeing MAX planes, including 218 of the MAX 8 model and four MAX 9 planes. It currently has 10 MAX 8 planes in its fleet.
Greece Closes Airspace to Boeing 737 MAX: Official
Greece's civil aviation agency on Wednesday said it had closed its airspace to Boeing 737 MAX aircraft after the Ethiopian Airlines crash, reported AFP.
"All airports have been ordered to ban flights of the specific model in Greek airspace as of yesterday afternoon," civil aviation agency head Constantinos Lintzerakos told state news agency ANA.
Canada's Sunwing Airlines Suspends Boeing 737 MAX 8 Operations
Canadian carrier Sunwing Airlines suspends operations of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, reported News18.
All Boeing 737 MAX Have Been Grounded: Aviation Secretary
All Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft being operated by Indian airlines have been grounded, Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola said on Wednesday, 13 March after an emergency meeting with airline companies. Thursday will be a "challenging" day, he told reporters.
Lifting the ban on the aircraft will be based on inputs from various agencies and it will not happen soon, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief B S Bhullar said.
The DGCA announced its decision to ground the aircraft on Tuesday night.
SpiceJet has 12 such aircraft in its fleet and Jet Airways has five, which have already been grounded.
Kharola said SpiceJet will adjust most passengers in its own flights. If the need arises, other operators will pitch in.
Operators have also agreed not to indulge in "predatory pricing", he said.
The decision to ground the aircraft came days after a 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed near Addis Ababa, killing 157 people, including four Indians.
Vistara Can Mount International Flights Now
Pradeep Singh Kharola said Vistara has been authorised to mount international flights now.
Norwegian Air Shuttle Demands Boeing Pay for Grounding of 737 Max Planes
Low-cost airline Norwegian Air Shuttle, which has grounded its 18 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft pending an investigation into the cause of a crash in Ethiopia, said on Wednesday, 13 March it will demand financial compensation from Boeing.
Norwegian, whose finances are currently under pressure, cancelled 19 flights on Wednesday, the day after it decided to ground all flights with the Boeing 737 MAX 8, the same model that crashed in Ethiopia on Sunday killing all 157 passengers and crew.
"We're going to send the invoice to those who built the plane," a spokesman for the company, Lasse Sandaker-Nielsen, told AFP in an email.
Sandaker-Nielsen said the airline "should not suffer financially from this." Norwegian said it had reorganised its operations and transferred passengers to other flights to remedy the situation. "We've worked very hard to find solutions for our passengers and have succeeded for the most part. There are only a few hundred left" to rebook, he said.
Trump Orders all Boeing 737 MAX 8 to Be Grounded
US President Donald Trump announces plan to ground all Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft, as reported by AFP. Boeing shares tumble 2 percent as Trump grounds 737 MAX planes.
Boeing Supports Action to Temporarily Ground 737 MAX Operations
Boeing issued a statement, saying, it continues to have full confidence in the safety of the 737 MAX. “However, after consultation with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and aviation authorities and its customers around the world, Boeing has determined -- out of an abundance of caution and in order to reassure the flying public of the aircraft’s safety -- to recommend to the FAA the temporary suspension of operations of the entire global fleet of 371 737 MAX aircraft,” read the statement on their website.
“On behalf of the entire Boeing team, we extend our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives in these two tragic accidents,” said Dennis Muilenburg, president, CEO, Chairman of The Boeing Company.
Serbia Bars Boeing 737 MAX Flights from Airspace
Serbia's aviation authorities barred Boeing 737 MAX planes from the country's airspace, a spokesperson told AFP on Wednesday, joining a wave of government bans worldwide.
Serbia has also banned the aircraft "for take-off and landing at all airports" in the country, a spokesman for the Civil Aviation Directorate said of the measure, which went into effect Tuesday.
He explained that "Serbia is aligning itself with the directives of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency", which decided on Tuesday to close European airspace to Boeing 737 MAX.
Airfares Soar Over 100% as Airlines Cancel Flights
Air passengers face the grim prospects of high air fares and fewer flight choices as several airlines cancel operations due to a number of reasons including the grounding of 737-MAX aircraft.
According to industry insiders, some sectors have shown a rise of more than 100 per cent in last minute bookings.
"Spot fares for Mumbai-Chennai are touching Rs 26,073 as opposed to Rs 5,369 the same time last year. High airfare patterns are expected to continue in the short term with Holi and summer school holidays round the corner, resulting in an increased demand," said Aloke Bajapi, CEO and Co-founder, ixigo.
Ethiopian Airlines 'Has Flown' Black Boxes of Crashed Boeing to Paris
Ethiopian Airlines affirmed that the black box flight recorders from the Boeing 737 MAX 8 that crashed with 157 people,including four Indians, on board have been flown to Paris for analysis.
"An Ethiopian delegation led by Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has flown the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) to Paris, France for investigation," the airline wrote on Twitter.
Boeing Suspends Deliveries of 737 MAX Planes, Production to Continue
The Boeing said on Friday, 15 March, it is suspending deliveries of 737 MAX planes after its grounding, according to AFP. It also said that the production of planes is continuing.
Piece of Stabiliser Similar to Lion Air Jet: Reports
Investigators of Ethiopian crash found a piece of stabiliser with trim in an unusual position similar to the doomed Lion Air jet, reported Reuters, quoting sources.