KUALA LUMPUR: No decision has yet been made by the government and Malaysia Airlines on whether the national carrier would continue with its purchase for the Boeing 737 MAX 8, Transport Minister Anthony Loke (pix) said yesterday.
He was commenting on Malaysia Airlines’ purchase of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 after a second crash occurred with the model in less than six months.
He said the planes were supposed to be delivered next year but Malaysia Airlines is studying the various options.
“We don’t have any Boeing 737 MAX 8 but it is supposed to be delivered next year. We will check with MAS and the airline is studying the various options,” Loke told reporters at Parliament today.
He said even if Malaysia Airlines and the government wants to review its purchase, they must take into consideration the various legal implications.
Malaysia Airlines had stated previously that in 2016, the airline made 25 firm orders for the 737-MAX8 aircraft and 25 options.
The aircraft were ordered as replacements for existing planes, due for replacement and in June 2017, the national carrier entered into a new agreement with Boeing to allow it to choose their new larger 737-MAX10 aircraft for 10 out of the previous firm order of 25 737-MAX8.
On Sunday, the 157 passengers and crew members of a 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines were killed. It was the same model as the plane that crashed in Indonesia in October, claiming 189 lives.
After the loss of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) sent out a notification to airlines stating all 737 MAX operations are to be halted with a resumption of operations only beginning once Boeing and investigators can confirm the safety of the aircraft.
Cayman Islands said it was is suspending operations of both its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by its flag carrier Cayman Airways until more information is received.
In Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia carried out additional inspections on its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.
Indonesia’s transportation safety committee said it will discuss the possibility of grounding the jets operated by the nation’s airlines.
Singapore Airlines, whose regional arm SilkAir operates the 737 MAX, said it was monitoring the situation closely, but its planes continued to operate as scheduled.
Jet Airways India and SpiceJet, said the country’s regulators has asked Boeing for information following the Ethiopia crash.
