Australia suspends Boeing 737 MAX flights

12 March 2019 - 10:48
By Reuters
Workers service an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 plane at the Bole International Airport in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, January 26, 2017.
Image: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo Workers service an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 plane at the Bole International Airport in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, January 26, 2017.

Australia's civil aviation safety authority suspended Boeing Co 737 MAX aircraft from flying to or from Australia, following fatal crashes involving the U.S. planemaker's latest model in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

"This is a temporary suspension while we wait for more information to review the safety risks of continued operations of the Boeing 737 MAX to and from Australia," Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority CEO Shane Carmody said in a statement.

During the past two days, Singapore, Indonesia and China have grounded their Boeing 737 Max fleets. Australia's move only affects Singapore Airlines Ltd's Silk Air and Fiji Airways, as no Australian carriers currently use the model.