Akasa Air says no impact on safety after Boeing flags 737 MAX glitch

Akasa Air said it is closely coordinating with Boeing and confirms there is no impact on the safety of its operations.

Domestic carrier Akasa Air on Monday said the software glitch reported in Boeing 737 MAX planes will have no impact on the safety of the airline’s operations. This came a day after Boeing said it has detected a software issue in some of its B737 MAX planes where pilots may not have access to automated flight guidance during a specific landing scenario.

 

In a statement, Akasa Air said, “We are closely coordinating with Boeing and can confirm that there is no impact to the safety of Akasa Air operations. Our aircraft continue to operate safely in accordance with established procedures and applicable regulatory requirements. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority."

  

The software glitch is expected to affect Air India Express and Akasa Air, as these two carriers cumulatively operate around 96 Boeing 737 MAX planes.

 

Boeing spokesperson on Sunday said, “Last month, we informed all 737 operators about a software issue where pilots may not have access to automated flight guidance during a specific landing scenario.”

 

“We shared information with operators that reinforced existing pilot procedures for safely handling such cases. Our engineers are working on a software update to permanently address the issue,” the spokesperson said in a statement. 

 

The software glitch identified by Boeing could result in the automated flight guidance system disengaging after a missed approach if the subsequent approach path differs from the one originally planned, PTI reported.

 

Boeing has issued an advisory to operators to reset the system following a missed approach as a precautionary measure to address the software issue, the report added.

 

The aircraft manufacturer has delivered more than 2,400 B737 MAX planes to various airlines globally.

 

While Boeing has reported software glitches, last week, European aircraft major Airbus confirmed it has detected a quality issue with the surface protection coating on the fuselage of a significant number of narrow-body A321 neo planes.  According to PTI, around a dozen such aircraft operated by IndiGo are also impacted due to the quality issue.

 

IndiGo and Air India operate A321 neo aircraft. Together, they have around 190 such planes.