Boeing 737 MAX to fly again in Indonesia three years after fatal crash off Jakarta

Indonesia’s transport ministry is allowing the Boeing 737 MAX to resume flights three years after the fatal crash, which killed all 189 people onboard minutes after takeoff from Jakarta. The US lifted its ban on the aircraft last year, as well as the EU about a month later.

In October 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 took off at Jakarta. Air traffic control lost communication with the flight 13 minutes later and the aircraft crashed in the Java Sea. A new automatic stabilising programme on the Boeing 737 MAX caused the aircraft to nose dive.

Is the Boeing 737 MAX safe to fly? Read more HERE.

Countries across the world grounded the Boeing 737 MAX after another crash in March 2019 where the aircraft took off from Ethiopia and crashed around six minutes later due to problems with the stabilising programme.

Numerous countries have since lifted grounding orders. Indonesia’s order took effect immediately. Officials evaluated the aircraft before lifting the order. Airlines must also inspect their aircraft before returning them to the sky and are instructed to follow the airworthiness directives.

Garuda Indonesia’s chief executive, Irfan Setiaputra, told Reuters that the airline has no intention of restoring the plane to its fleet as it focuses on debt restructuring, reducing its fleet from 142 to 66 planes.

SOURCE: Channel News Asia