India regulator says checks of Boeing 737 Max 8 jets satisfactory

Spicejet

08/01/2024 07:28

BENGALURU, Jan 8 (Reuters) - India's aviation regulator
said on Monday that checks by domestic airlines of Boeing  BA.N 
737 Max 8 aircraft had been performed satisfactorily, after a
cabin panel blew out on a new Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 aircraft
last week.
    India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on
Saturday ordered all Indian operators with the 737 Max 8
aircraft to check the operation and proper closing of all
over-wing emergency exits as a precautionary measure.
    Indian airlines do not operate the 737 Max 9 aircraft.
    The Alaska Airlines  ALK.N  aircraft was forced to make an
emergency landing on Friday as it climbed out of Portland,
Oregon, triggering a temporary grounding of Max 9 jets in the
United States.
    Checks have been satisfactorily performed on four 737 Max 8
aircraft operated by Air India Express, eight by Spicejet
 SPJT.BO , and 20 by Akasa Air, the Indian regulator said in a
statement.
    Spicejet said on Monday that the investigations produced no
adverse findings and that its flight operations were not
affected by the checks.

 (Reporting by Chris Thomas in Bengaluru; Editing by Edmund
Klamann)
 ((chris.thomas@thomsonreuters.com;))