Up in the air

Though the US and the UK have cleared the Boeing 737 MAX for commercial use again, it may be a while before the aircraft takes to the Indian skies

- PRADIP R. SAGAR

BEFORE GREENLIGHTING the return of the Boeing 737 MAX, which had been grounded for about two years following two fatal crashes in a span of six months, US Federal Aviation Administration chief Steve Dickson piloted it himself to make sure everything was okay. The aircraft, which has a worldwide fleet of 390, was cleared for action in November after several modifications. And, in late January, five airlines in North and South America started using the aircraft in commercial service.

On January 27, the UK Civil Aviation Authority also lifted the ban on the aircraft, shortly after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency did so. However, the CAA stressed that the pilot training requirements meant it would be some time before the plane took to the air.

The two crashes—Lion Air flight JT610 in Indonesia in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 in Addis Ababa five months later—took 346 lives. Indian pilot Bhavye Suneja was the captain of the Lion Air flight.

Notwithstanding the recent approvals, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has not allowed the aircraft to resume service in India. Locally, only SpiceJet has a Boeing 737 MAX fleet; it had ordered 205, of which only 13 have been delivered so far. The aircraft is fuel-efficient, which helps budget carriers like SpiceJet reduce operational cost. But amid the current uncertainty regarding the aircraft’s return to Indian skies, the airline is reportedly seeking damages from Boeing for the losses incurred.