SINGAPORE, March 12, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Singapore’s aviation regulator
Tuesday banned the use of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the country’s airspace
following a deadly Ethiopia plane crash at the weekend.
The Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 went down minutes into a flight to
Nairobi Sunday, killing all 157 people on board, months after a Lion Air jet
of the same model crashed in Indonesia killing 189.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said in a statement it was
“temporarily suspending operation of all variants of the Boeing 737 MAX
aircraft into and out of Singapore in light of two fatal accidents involving
Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in less than five months.”
It comes as airlines around the world remove the model from their
schedules, while US regulators have ordered Boeing to make urgent
improvements to the jet.
Singapore’s suspension will take effect from 2:00 pm (0600 GMT) Tuesday,
the authority said.
It said that SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, operates six
Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
Other airlines operating the planes to Singapore are China Southern
Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Shandong Airlines and Thai Lion Air.
The regulator said it was working with the city-state’s Changi Airport — a
major global hub — and affected airlines to minimise any impact on
passengers.
“During the temporary suspension, CAAS will gather more information and
review the safety risk associated with the continued operation of the Boeing
737 MAX aircraft into and out of Singapore,” it said.
“The suspension will be reviewed as relevant safety information becomes
available.”