Boeing 737 MAX: 5 nations ground planes, Jet says not in use, SpiceJet mum

At least 18 airlines have grounded their 737 MAX 8 planes. The Boeing website shows a list of more than 60 airlines that use the model. Ryanair, Air Europa, Air Canada, Qatar Airways are among them

Australia, Brazil and Singapore on Tuesday joined China and Indonesia to ground Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft after an Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed, killing 157 passengers and crew members on board Sunday. 

This happened months after a Lion Air jet of the same model crashed in Indonesia killing 189.

Indian carriers Jet Airways and Spicejet own 5 and 13 models of the aircraft respectively, according to an earlier Business Standard report. The former has ordered another 225 and the latter 155.

According to a New York Times report, at least 18 airlines around the world have grounded their 737 MAX 8 planes. "But at least 18 carriers, including American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, which are heavy users of the MAX 8, continued to fly them on Monday."

The Boeing website shows a list of not less than 60 airlines that use the model. Ryanair, Air Europa, Air Canada, Qatar Airways are some of the big names among them.

Jet Airways said Tuesday morning that it is not currently operating any of these aircraft. However, it is not clear what the reason is. The debt-laden airline's lessors have taken back some of its planes as it defaulted on loan repayments. SpiceJet has not come out with any communication regarding the use of the model.
The Indian airline regulator (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) has announced safety measures for Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes in view the fatal accident. Only persons with 1,000 hours flying experience to be pilot in command of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, said a DGCA statement on Monday.

Boeing's 737 MAX is the newest version of a jet that has been a fixture of passenger travel for decades and the cash cow of the world's largest aircraft maker, competing against Airbus SE's A320neo family of single-aisle jetliners. The 737 family is considered one of the industry's most reliable aircraft.

Boeing's response

Boeing confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration's announcement late Monday that it will deploy a software upgrade across the 737 MAX 8 fleet "in the coming weeks" as pressure mounted

US response

The United States will mandate that Boeing Co implement design changes by April that have been in the works for months for the 737 MAX 8 fleet after a fatal crash in October but said the plane was airworthy and did not need to be grounded.

The FAA said the changes will "provide reduced reliance on procedures associated with required pilot memory items."

The FAA also said Boeing will "update training requirements and flight crew manuals to go with the design change" to an automated protection system called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System or MCAS. The changes also include MCAS activation and angle of attack signal enhancements.

The FAA said in the notice made public that external reports are drawing similarities between the crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. "However, this investigation has just begun and to date we have not been provided data to draw any conclusions or take any actions," according to the Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community for Boeing 737 MAX 8 operators.

US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao told reporters regulators would not hesitate to act if they find a safety issue.

"If the FAA identifies an issue that affects safety, the department will take immediate and appropriate action," Chao told reporters. "I want people to be assured that we take these incidents, these accidents very seriously."

Boeing's response

Boeing confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration's announcement late Monday that it will deploy a software upgrade across the 737 MAX 8 fleet "in the coming weeks" as pressure mounted.