Up in the air
THE WEEK|February 14, 2021
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
Up in the air

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.

Denne historien er fra February 14, 2021-utgaven av THE WEEK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra February 14, 2021-utgaven av THE WEEK.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE WEEKSe alt
William Dalrymple goes further back
THE WEEK India

William Dalrymple goes further back

Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 17, 2024
The bleat from the street
THE WEEK India

The bleat from the street

What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 17, 2024
Courage and conviction
THE WEEK India

Courage and conviction

Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case

time-read
2 mins  |
November 17, 2024
EPIC ENTERPRISE
THE WEEK India

EPIC ENTERPRISE

Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus

time-read
4 mins  |
November 17, 2024
Upgrade your jeans
THE WEEK India

Upgrade your jeans

If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 17, 2024
Garden by the sea
THE WEEK India

Garden by the sea

When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus

time-read
4 mins  |
November 17, 2024
RECRUITERS SPEAK
THE WEEK India

RECRUITERS SPEAK

Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates

time-read
3 mins  |
November 17, 2024
MORAL COMPASS
THE WEEK India

MORAL COMPASS

The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape

time-read
5 mins  |
November 17, 2024
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
THE WEEK India

B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH

INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode

time-read
3 mins  |
November 17, 2024
COURSE CORRECTION
THE WEEK India

COURSE CORRECTION

India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI

time-read
8 mins  |
November 17, 2024