Basmah Qazi
Travel Trouble

Two fatal crashes in six months: The 40 airlines STILL flying the new Boeing 737 MAX

Tragedy has struck after a Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed six minutes after takeoff, leaving no survivors. Mourners have gathered to remember the 157 victims, which included 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, eight Americans, and seven British nationals.

Occurring only a few short months after the devastating Lion Air crash in October - which also killed all 189 people on board – questions have been raised over the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX model, which is the plane that was involved in both incidents.

Minutes into the journey, the experienced pilot of the Ethiopian flight claimed to be facing difficulties and was given clearance to turn the plane around, but unfortunately, was too late as the plane went plummeting south.

When the Boeing 737 MAX was introduced in 2017, it was considered to be a pioneer in narrow-body airliners. It was commended for its advanced aerodynamics and fuel-efficient engines.

The brand new addition to the Boeing series became the quickest selling plane in the model's history, with a total of 219,737 MAX aircrafts being ordered since its release.

But the success was short-lived, as the crash of Lion Air Flight JT610 in October raised alarm bells over the safety of the jet.

Killing all 189 people on board, the disaster was the first time a 737 MAX was involved in a major incident.

In November, Boeing issued a safety bulletin for airlines currently operating its 737 MAX airliner. It revealed a terrifying reality, where the plane’s sensors can cause the aircraft to enter into a sudden dive, reported Bloomberg.

“On November 6, 2018, Boeing issued an Operations Manual Bulletin (OMB) directing operators to existing flight crew procedures to address circumstances where there is erroneous input from an AOA sensor,” read the company’s statement.

But despite the cautionary tale, there are still 40 airlines using the Boeing 737 MAX to transport passengers from point A to point B.

Here are the 40 airlines that fly the Boeing 737 MAX:

1. Norwegian Air

2. Air China

3. SpiceJet

4. Southwest Airlines

5. Icelandair

6. FlyDubai

7. Air Italy

8. TUI

9. LOT Polish Airlines

10. AeroMexico

11. Oman Air

12. SmartWings

13. Aerolineas Argentinas

14. Lion Air

15. Corendon Airlines

16. China Southern

17. Ethiopian Airlines

18. Air Canada

19. Garuda Indonesia

20. United Airlines

21. American Airlines

22. Xiamen Airlines

23. WestJet

24. Turkish Airlines

25. SCAT Airlines

26. China Eastern

27. Shanghai Airlines

28. Shenzhen Airlines

29. Jet Airways

30. OK Airways

31. GOL

32. SilkAir

33. S7 Siberia Airlines

34. Copa Airlines

35. Lucky Air

36. Sunwing Airlines

37. Hainan Airlines

38. Mauritania Airlines International

39. Shandong Airlines

40. 9 Air

Will you be flying with any of these airlines in the future? Let us know in the comments below.

Tags:
airline, travel, trouble, flight