Singapore approves Boeing 737 MAX for return to service

Singapore’s aviation regulator announced today it will approve the return to service for the Boeing 737 MAX. The aircraft had been grounded for 2 years following 2 fatal crashes.

The approval is owed to operators, such as Singapore Airlines complying with airworthiness directives and extra flight crew training requirements, says the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. The city state’s approval follows the aircraft’s return to service in the US and Europe. The approval also comes on the heels of the removal of grounding orders in other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Australia, Japan, and India. China, the largest market in the area, has still not approved the 737 MAX for flight. The country did perform test flights last month.

Back in May, Singapore Airlines announced that they already have 6 of the 737s and they anticipate obtaining 8 more by March 31, 2022. Singapore Airlines said today that it will continue to work closely with the CAAS and other associated regulators in the following weeks to ensure requirements are met to allow the 737 MAX to fly again.

Last week, Malaysia removed its ban on the Boeing 737 MAX. They said their decision was made after they closely followed the approval process and comprehensive work performed, notably from Boeing and the US Federal Aviation Administration. They also accepted the extensive return to service requirements set by the FAA for aircraft.

In March of 2019, 157 people were killed when a 737 flying from Addis Ababa crashed. Prior to that, in October of 2018, a Lion Air Boeing 737 with 188 passengers on board crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta.

SOURCE: Reuters