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Boeing Grounded: Tracking Global Response to 737 Max Crash

Boeing Grounded: Tracking the Global Response to 737 Max Crash

(Bloomberg) -- The number of countries and airlines grounding the 737 Max is climbing steadily following the second deadly accident in five months, even as U.S. regulators and several prominent carriers stand by the embattled Boeing Co. aircraft.

The widening crisis has engulfed the company, shaking confidence in the top-selling plane. Boeing has delivered more than 350 of the single-aisle Max, the majority of which are now out of service while investigations continue.

The moves repudiate the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which on Monday reaffirmed confidence in the plane, issuing a global notice of “continued airworthiness.” That means two of the main operators of the jet -- Southwest Airlines, with 31 in its fleet, and American Airlines, with 22 -- are still flying the plane.

Here’s a look at regulators and airlines worldwide that have grounded the jet since Sunday’s crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302:

China

Asia’s biggest economy was among the first jurisdictions to ground the aircraft after the country’s aviation regulator said early Monday that all 96 jets in the country should stop flying. That affected carriers including the “big three”: China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Air China, with more than 40 between them.

U.K.

In a blow to Boeing and a rebuke to U.S. regulators, Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement Tuesday that it would halt commercial flights using the 737 Max 8 “from any operator arriving, departing or overflying U.K. airspace.”

Europe

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency suspended all Max 8 and 9 flights as a precautionary measure, following separate decisions by the U.K. and other countries within the bloc.

Singapore

The city-state ruled Tuesday that no 737 Max 8 could use its airspace, blocking access to Asia’s second-busiest international airport and a popular transit hub. That affected Singapore Airlines Ltd.’s SilkAir, among others, which said the blockade will have an effect on its flight schedules.

Other regulators

Malaysia, Australia and other aviation authorities banned 737 Max flights. Indonesia, where Lion Air Flight 610 crashed in October, also grounded the aircraft.

Boeing Grounded: Tracking Global Response to 737 Max Crash

Ethiopian Airlines

The state-owned carrier grounded its five remaining Max 8 models after Sunday’s crash shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa. All 157 people on board died.

European carriers

Before the EU aviation regulator halted flights, a wave of European airlines took action, including Norwegian Air, one of the largest operators, with 18 of the planes in its fleet. TUI, Icelandair and Enter Air took similar action.

Small operators

Several airlines with a just a few Max aircraft suspended flights, including Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA (seven jets), Grupo Aeromexico SAB (six), Eastar Jet (two) and Comair Ltd. (one).

--With assistance from Benjamin Katz.

To contact the reporters on this story: John Bowker in Johannesburg at jbowker2@bloomberg.net;Richard Clough in New York at rclough9@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net, ;Brendan Case at bcase4@bloomberg.net, Tony Robinson

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.