After the crash of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 in Ethiopia this past weekend, several international air carriers have grounded the planes over safety concerns.
An investigation is underway into the Sunday morning crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight that slammed into the ground shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. The plane was headed to Nairobi, Kenya.
The Ethiopian Airlines crash is the second crash of a 737 MAX 8 in six months. A Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed in the Java Sea on Oct. 29, killing everyone aboard.
David Soucie, an aviation analyst for CNN, said in an interview Monday morning that he would recommend the planes be grounded because of the similarities between the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Airlines crashes.
Soucie, who has worked with the Federal Aviation Administration as a member of the Safety Management Implementation (SMI) Committee, said he had never before suggested consumers be wary of a particular type of airplane, but that he was suggesting that after reviewing the flight data from both crashes.
"I've never, ever done this before," Soucie said on CNN's "Newsroom.” "I've never said that, 'Hey, it's unsafe to fly a particular model' but in this case, I'm going to have to go there. I just looked at the flight data of that aircraft: It’s strikingly similar, same issues we had with the Max Air. So yeah, I would watch for that airplane."
Also on Monday morning, Ricard Quest, aviation analyst for CNN, said he would suggest that “we proceeded with an abundance of caution” when it comes to using the plane.
“The Chinese have said we are not sure” the 737s are safe to fly at the moment, while “the Americans and Europeans are saying we are looking at it.”
Who has grounded the plane?
A handful of airlines have grounded the 737 MAX 8 including Cayman Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Aeromexico, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Comair Airways, Norwegian Air and Eastar Jet.
China, the Republic of Indonesia, Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom have all -- at least temporarily -- grounded the 737 MAX 8.
Who is still using the 737 MAX 8?
As of Tuesday morning, these airlines, among others, are still using the 737 MAX 8:
- American Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Norwegian Airlines
- TUI
- Silk Air
- Fiji Airways
- Icelandair
- Flydubai
- WestJet
How many of the jets are in service now?
There are 350 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes in operation worldwide. According to Boeing, The 737 MAX is the “fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history.” The company has received nearly 4,700 orders from more than 100 customers worldwide.
How do you find out if you are booked on a 737 MAX 8?
There are a couple of ways to find out if you are booked on a 737 MAX 8.
First, you can go to the website FlightAware.com.
On the home page, you will see a space where you can enter your flight information – airline, flight number, origin and destination.
Enter your flight information and click track, or enter your destination information and click search.
Look at the righthand column and you will see information on the type of plane being flown.
Can you change planes if you are uncomfortable with flying on a certain plane?
You can always change fights, but in almost all cases, you will have to pay a fee to do so.
What does Boeing say?
A spokeswoman for Boeing said the company was staying in touch with all of its customers as the investigation of the cause of the crash continues.
“We have engaged our customers and regulators on concerns they may have - and would refer you to them to discuss their operations and decisions. Safety is our number one priority and we are taking every measure to fully understand all aspects of this accident, working closely with the investigating team and all regulatory authorities involved. The investigation is in its early stages, but at this point, based on the information available, we do not have any basis to issue new guidance to operators.”
In the aftermath of Sunday’s crash, Boeing stock plunged Monday morning.
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