Europe suspends flights of all Boeing 737-MAX aircraft

The airlines’ Boeing 737-800 MAX crashed shortly after take-off en route to Nairobi from Addis Ababa, resulting in the loss of 149 passengers and 8 crew members.

The suspension by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) impacts flight operations of all Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-9 MAX aeroplanes in Europe. The same models are subject to an EASA safety directive suspending all commercial flights performed by third-country operators into, within or out of the EU.

A similar directive was issued yesterday by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, which noted: “External reports are drawing similarities between this accident and Lion Air flight 610 on 29 October 2018 involving the same type of aircraft.

“Given the similarity of the two accidents, it has been decided that as a precautionary measure that all Boeing 737-8 MAX and Boeing 737-9 MAX operations in the United Kingdom, whether by UK AOC holders or foreign AOC holders and carriers, should stop until appropriate safeguards are in place.”