Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (March 11): Malaysia Airlines Bhd said today it has written to US aircraft maker Boeing Co seeking for more technical details ahead of the delivery of its orders for Boeing 737 MAXs, which has been implicated in two tragic plane crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. 

“Malaysia Airlines does not currently have any Boeing 737 MAXs on its fleet. It is too early to make any comments as the cause of the incident has yet to be ascertained,” the national carrier said it a statement.

“We have, however, written to Boeing seeking for more technical details ahead of the delivery of our order expected in 2020. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by the tragedy,” it added.

In 2016, the national carrier had ordered 25 737 MAXs. In June 2017, Boeing and Malaysia Airlines had announced a decision to convert 10 of the national airline's current 737 MAXs on order to 737 MAX 10s.

Separately, Transport Minister Anthony Loke told Parliament today that the government has no immediate decision on whether the orders will be cancelled. 

“There is no immediate decision right now but I’m not saying we are continuing the deal or cancelling it, just no decisions right now,” Loke said.

In a separate statement, Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd said it does not have any 737 MAX in operations currently.

"(We) will be more diligent in any future plan of aircraft delivery from the MAX family," its chief executive office (CEO) Chandran Rama Muthy said, expressing his condolence on the tragic Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday (March 10). "Our thoughts and prayers go to those who are affected in the tragedy."

Malindo Air operates a fleet of 42 aircraft which consist of 29 737 NGs and 13 ATR72-600s.

On Sunday, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after take-off, killing all 157 passengers on board.

It was the second 737 MAX 8 to crash in under six months. The first occurred in October last year, when the plane, operated by  Indonesian budget carrier Lion Air, crashed 13 minutes after take-off and killed all 189 on board.

In a statement dated March 10 on its official website, Boeing said it is “deeply saddened” for the latest tragedy in Ethiopia. 

"A Boeing technical team will be travelling to the crash site to provide technical assistance under the direction of the Ethiopia Accident Investigation Bureau and US National Transportation Safety Board," it added.

When contacted, a spokesperson from Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) declined to comment on whether it will stop the 737 MAX aircraft type from operating at its airports, noting that it is not the authority in terms of air safety as far as the aircraft are concerned.

“Airlines are subject to stringent air safety procedures and guidelines by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and respective civil aviation authorities,” the spokesperson told theedgemarkets.com today. 

Meanwhile, AirAsia Group Bhd group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes on his Twitter account expressed his condolences to those affected by the tragedy. 

“My condolences to all on board [the flight]. And to all who have lost friends [and] colleagues,” he said.

“I fly @flyethiopian regularly,” he said in his tweet, referring to Ethiopian Airlines’ official Twitter handle. “Great airline,” he added.

Following the crash in Ethiopia, Ethiopian Airlines has grounded its Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet until further notice. China’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) also reportedly grounded its 96 units of the aircraft type operated by its airlines. 

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has yet to issue any statement on its stance. 
 

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