WestJet planning to return Boeing 737 MAX to the skies later this month
WestJet has announced that it plans to return the controversial Boeing 737 MAX to the skies – with passengers – later this month.
But Transport Canada will first need to approve the flights.
The 737 MAX was involved in two deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019, prompting its grounding.
The crashes, which were caused by technical faults, killed over 300 people.
Since those tragedies, however, Transport Canada has said that safety experts have validated design changes for the aircraft and outlined requirements for Canadians airlines to return the planes to use.
By Cirium2021-01-06T19:19:00+00:00
WestJet will begin non-commercial test flights of its Boeing 737 Max aircraft during the coming weeks with the aim of having the aircraft type ready to resume revenue flights on 21 January pending approval from Transport Canada.
The Calgary-based airline would take a phased approach to resume Max flights once Transport Canada allows the Boeing aircraft to re-enter Canadian airspace after it has been grounded for 20 months, WestJet chief executive Ed Sims states.
“We will be forthcoming with our guests on where the Max aircraft are flying, and we will be flexible with our change and cancel policy to ensure our guests can make their travel plans confidently,” Sims says.
Canada validates Boeing 737 MAX design changes [The Seattle Times]
Dec. 17 Canadian air-safety regulator Transport Canada announced Thursday its approval of the Boeing 737 MAX design changes that were developed after two crashes killed 346 people in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
In a message Wednesday to the families of the Canadian victims of the Ethiopian crash, Nicholas Robinson, director general of Transport Canada, wrote that his agency “has now completed our independent review of the design changes and we have notified the FAA today that we have validated these changes with some unique Canadian differences.”
It’s one of the final steps in the process of clearing the plane to fly again in Canada, though that won’t be complete until Transport Canada issues a formal airworthiness directive and pilot-training requirements.
Canada will validate Boeing 737 MAX design changes on Thursday [The Seattle Times]
Dec. 17 Canadian air-safety regulator Transport Canada will announce Thursday its approval of the Boeing 737 MAX design changes that were developed after two crashes killed 346 people in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
In a message Wednesday to the families of the Canadian victims of the Ethiopian crash, Nicholas Robinson, director general of Transport Canada, wrote that his agency “has now completed our independent review of the design changes and we have notified the FAA today that we have validated these changes with some unique Canadian differences.”
It’s one of the final steps in the process of clearing the plane to fly again in Canada, though that won’t be complete until Transport Canada issues a formal airworthiness directive and pilot-training requirements.
Canada set to approve Boeing 737 Max design changes chicagotribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chicagotribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.