China’s Civil Aviation Administration, has reportedly asked its airlines to temporarily ground Boeing 737 Max aeroplanes following the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Many airlines, Canjing reports had already switched 737MAX flights, replacing the plane with the older (and reliable) 737-800
Source: Boeing
I think a grounding is a sensible precaution following the two similar crashes of the model in clear weather; Ethiopian yesterday and Lion back in October 2018. Two fatal crashes in five months of a brand new aircraft is too great.
Such a grounding is significant. China is also one of the biggest travel markets on the globe now. Chinese carriers account for many of the orders for the MAX. Chinese airlines have about 20 per cent of the 350 planes that have been delivered. 737 MAX production provides for a significant amount of Boeing’s revenue and cash flow with 5,111 of the type ordered. If I was Boeing, I would be freaking out.
The Chinese airlines with B737 MAX planes are:
- 9 Air (1 in operation and 29 on order)
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Air Changan (1 on order)
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Air China (15 in ops and 1 on order)
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China Eastern Airlines (3 in operation)
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China Southern Airlines (20 in ops and 30 on order)
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Fuzhou Airlines (1 in operation)
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Hainan Airlines (11 in ops)
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Kunming Airlines (1 in operation)
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Lucky Air (3 in ops and 1 on order)
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Okay Airways (2 in operation)
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Shandong Airlines (7 in operation)
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Shanghai Airlines (11 in ops and 2 on order)
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Shenzhen Airlines (5 in ops and 1 on order)
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Xiamen Airlines (10 in operation)
No one has said how long the grounding will take place for.
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