India’s aviation regulator DGCA on Thursday lifted the ban on Boeing 737 Max planes‘ business flight operations after nearly two-and-half years.
On March 13, 2019, all Boeing 737 Max planes have been grounded in India by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max aircraft on March 10 close to Addis Ababa which had left 157 individuals, together with 4 Indians, lifeless.
Aircraft producer Boeing has been modifying the 737 Max aircraft since March 2019 in order that varied nations’ regulators, together with the DGCA, allow its passenger flight operations once more.
In its order dated August 26, 2021, the DGCA said that the operation of Boeing 737 Max planes are permitted “only upon satisfaction of applicable requirements for return to service”.
A senior DGCA official confirmed that the ban on 737 Max planes’ business flight operations has been lifted.
Currently, solely SpiceJet airline in India has Boeing 737 Max plane in its fleet. No different airline in India makes use of Max aircraft.
On March 13, 2019, SpiceJet needed to floor 12 Max planes, forcing it to cancel a major variety of flights on that day in addition to on the following day.
Jet Airways additionally had 5 Max planes in its fleet however they have been already grounded as on March 13, 2019 because of non-payment of dues to the lessors.
A month later, the full-service service had shut down its operations because of lack of funds.
In March 2019 itself, a number of nations grounded 737 Max planes.
The March 10, 2019 accident close to Addis Ababa was the second in a interval of 5 months. In October 2018, a 737 Max aircraft operated by Lion Air had crashed in Indonesia, killing 180 individuals.
