The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has announced that All variants of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft operation in and out of Singapore, is temporarily suspended in light of two fatal accidents involving Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in less than five months, which will take effect from 2.00 pm on Tuesday (12 March).
SilkAir, which operates 6 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, will be affected by the temporary suspension. The other airlines currently operating Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to Singapore are China Southern Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Shandong Airlines and Thai Lion Air.
CAAS in its press release, stressed that it is working with Changi Airport Group and the affected airlines to minimise any impact to travelling passengers.
CAAS also noted that it has been in regular contact with SilkAir on its MAX operations since last year and has been satisfied that it has been taking appropriate measures to comply with the necessary safety requirements.
During the temporary suspension, CAAS said that it will gather more information and review the safety risk associated with the continued operation of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into and out of Singapore.
CAAS is closely monitoring the situation and is in close communication with the US Federal Aviation Administration and other aviation regulators, as well as Boeing and the suspension will be reviewed as relevant safety information becomes available, it added.
The first incident involving a Boeing 737 MAX, took place in Indonesia in October when the aircraft operated by Indonesian carrier Lion Air, plunged into the Java Sea around 13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta in October, killing all 189 passengers and crew members. At least families of two dozens victims filed lawsuits against Boeing.
On Sunday morning (10 March), an Ethiopian Airlines plane of the same model, crashed six minutes after take-off, killing all 157 people on board.
Airline regulators in China and Indonesia told local carriers Monday to temporarily ground Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes following the Ethiopian crash, a move that was followed by Ethiopian Airlines and small carrier Cayman Airways.
Delta Air Lines joint venture partner Grupo Aeromexico said on late Monday that it also grounded its six Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft until more thorough information on the crash is provided.
