An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked on the tarmac at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington, U.S. March 21, 2019.

Boeing on Tuesday won its first order for 737 Max planes since the jets were grounded worldwide in March after two fatal crashes. The vote of confidence from British Airways' parent sent shares of the manufacturer sharply higher.

International Consolidated Airlines Group, or IAG, signed a letter of intent at the Paris Air Show to order 200 Boeing 737 Max planes. Boeing won't post the planes on its monthly order tally until the agreement is finalized.

Aviation authorities grounded the Boeing 737 Max worldwide after two crashes within five months killed a total of 346 people. Boeing and airlines are awaiting approval from regulators to resume flights with the jets, but officials have said they have no firm timeline so far.

Boeing shares surged 5.4% to close at $373.96, outpacing the broader market and leading the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher. It was their biggest one-day percentage gain in almost five months.

IAG will use the jets order, which includes the 737 Max 8 and the larger Max 10 that Boeing is developing, for short-haul flights across its airlines, which also include Iberia, Aer Lingus and low-cost carriers Vueling and Level. The group's narrowbody fleet is mostly A320s made by Boeing's chief rival, Airbus.

"We have every confidence in Boeing and expect that the aircraft will make a successful return to service in the coming months having received approval from the regulators," said IAG CEO Willie Walsh.

Boeing cut production of the 737 Max, its best-selling aircraft ever, by one-fifth and suspended deliveries of the planes after they were grounded.

The surprise order is welcome news for Boeing, which entered the air show hamstrung by the fallout from the crashes. It faces several investigations and lawsuits, customer airlines that have had to cut flights during the peak summer travel season due to the planes' grounding, and passengers who may be too skittish to fly the 737 Max once regulators give it a green light.

The order would be worth $24 billion at list prices, Boeing said, but airlines often receive discounts. The planes that IAG is planning to buy would be delivered between 2023 and 2027. </s> PARIS (AP) — Boeing is selling its 737 Max planes again.

The company announced at the Paris Air Show on Tuesday that International Airlines Group, the parent company of British Airways and other carriers, signed a letter of intent for 200 Boeing 737 aircraft.

Boeing said it's the first sale of the jet since the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max in March. Another 737 Max crashed in Indonesia last year, and the planes are now grounded amid an investigation into problematic software.

The letter of intent is subject to final agreement but is a vote of confidence in Boeing as it struggles to win back trust. The planes would be delivered between 2023 and 2027 to airlines owned by IAG. </s> The company lost $2.9bn in the three months to the end of June, compared to a profit of $2.2bn for the same period last year

Boeing said it could halt production of the 737 Max jet on Wednesday as it reported the company’s largest ever quarterly loss following two fatal accidents involving the plane.

The company lost $2.9bn in the three months to the end of June, compared to a profit of $2.2bn for the same period last year. Sales fell 35% to $15.8bn. Chief executive Dennis Muilenburg said production of the plane could be slowed or halted if regulators do not move to lift the ban on the plane.

The 737 Max was Boeing’s best selling aircraft until the fleet was grounded worldwide in March following crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. In January Boeing’s executives said the Max was the fastest selling plane in its history and the company expected to deliver between 895 and 905 airplanes this year.

Now it has become the most costly plane in Boeing’s history.

Boeing has predicted that the Max will be flying again by the end of the year, but this month the Wall Street Journal reported that government and industry officials believe a return date of January 2020 is more likely.

On a call with analysts Muilenburg said the company may have to consider slowing or halting production if there are further delays in getting the plane back into the skies.

Boeing is still producing 42 of its 737 jets a month and plans to boost that rate to 57 next year. But if there are further setbacks, Muilenberg said: “We might need to consider possible further rate reductions or other options including a temporary shutdown of the Max production.”

Muilenberg added that Boeing expected to submit its “final certification package” to the Federal Aviation Administration, the US regulator, in September.

Last week Boeing said it would take a $5.6bn charge to cover potential compensation to customers. The company also expects the cost of manufacturing the 737 to rise by $2.7bn due to production slowdowns. A $100m fund is being established to compensate the families and communities affected by the crashes.

“This is a defining moment for Boeing and we remain focused on our enduring values of safety, quality, and integrity in all that we do, as we work to safely return the 737 Max to service,” Muilenburg, said in a statement.

“During these challenging times, teams across our enterprise continue to perform at a high level while delivering on commitments and capturing new opportunities driven by strong, long-term fundamentals.”

Regulators across the world continue to investigate the fatal crashes of a Lion Air Max in Indonesia and an Ethiopian Airlines flight in Ethiopia that claimed a total of 346 lives.

Investigations have centered on the plane’s Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) flight control software, which was designed to keep the aircraft stable in flight. In both crashes the pilots appear to have fought in vain to keep the plane’s nose up as the system, triggered by flawed sensor readings, dragged it down. Boeing executives subsequently tried to share some of the blame with the pilots.

Last week a father who lost five family members in the Ethiopian disaster accused the company of “utter prejudice and disrespect” and said Boeing had pursued higher a higher share price and profits “at the expense of the safety of human life”.

The grounding of the 737 Max has had wider consequences for the US aerospace industry. American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines all used the Max and have canceled flights into November as a result of the grounding, depressing revenues. Ryanair, another major customer and Europe’s largest short-haul airline, has said late deliveries of the 737 Max will force it to cut routes and shut bases as it curbs expansion plans. </s> Boeing reported its largest ever quarterly loss on Wednesday, as the cost of grounding its fleet of 737 Max airliners took its toll.

The company lost $2.9bn in the three months to the end of June, compared to a profit of $2.2bn for the same period last year. Sales fell 35% to $15.75bn.

The 737 Max was Boeing’s best selling aircraft until the fleet was grounded worldwide in March following two fatal crashes.

Last week Boeing said it would take a $5.6bn charge to cover potential compensation to customers. The company also expects the cost of manufacturing the 737 to rise by $2.7bn due to production slowdowns. A $100m fund is being established to compensate the families and communities affected by the crashes.

“This is a defining moment for Boeing and we remain focused on our enduring values of safety, quality, and integrity in all that we do, as we work to safely return the 737 Max to service,” Boeing’s chief executive, Dennis Muilenburg, said in a statement.

“During these challenging times, teams across our enterprise continue to perform at a high level while delivering on commitments and capturing new opportunities driven by strong, long-term fundamentals.”

Regulators across the world continue to investigate the fatal crashes of a Lion Air Max in Indonesia and an Ethiopian Airlines flight in Ethiopia that claimed a total of 346 lives.

Last week a father who lost five family members in the Ethiopian disaster accused the company of “utter prejudice and disrespect” and said Boeing had pursued higher a higher share price and profits “at the expense of the safety of human life”.

The grounding of the 737 Max has had wider consequences for the US. American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines all used the Max and have canceled flights into November as a result of the grounding, depressing revenues.

Boeing has predicted that the Max will be flying again by the end of the year and appears to be preparing to change the plane’s name to the 737 8200. </s> PARIS — Boeing is selling its 737 Max planes again.

The company announced at the Paris Air Show on Tuesday that International Airlines Group, the parent company of British Airways and other carriers, signed a letter of intent for 200 Boeing 737 aircraft.

Boeing said it's the first sale of the jet since the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max in March. Another 737 Max crashed in Indonesia last year, and the planes are now grounded amid an investigation into problematic software.

RELATED: Report: Boeing open to new 737 MAX branding after deadly crashes

RELATED: Boeing says 'sorry' for Max crashes, seeks renewed trust

The letter of intent is subject to final agreement but is a vote of confidence in Boeing as it struggles to win back trust. The planes would be delivered between 2023 and 2027 to airlines owned by IAG.

The combination of 737-Max 8 and 737-Max 10 planes would cost $24 billion at list prices, though companies usually strike deals for discounts.

IAG expressed confidence that regulators will allow amended Max jets to fly again soon. The Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes killed 346 people.

Analysts had predicted that Boeing might try to announce some Max orders at the air show to demonstrate that the plane - one of Boeing's most popular models - still has support.

After a lackluster start to the Paris Air Show, Boeing's orders picked up Tuesday. It announced a deal with Korean Air and Air Lease Corporation for a total of 30 long-range 787 jets, and worth $6.3 billion at list prices.

Airbus also announced several orders Tuesday, including from IAG. </s> This Boeing 737 Max 8, painted in the colors of customer Southwest Airlines, was celebrated as the 10,000th 737 to roll off the assembly line on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.

Southwest Airlines and American Airlines operate the same new Boeing 737 involved in the fatal Lion Air crash in Indonesia.

Southwest Airlines was the first airline in North America to offer scheduled service on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, with its first flight from Dallas to Houston in October 2017.

Southwest CEO Gary Kelly praised the plane's fuel efficiency and quieter engines when the service was launched.

"The Max 8 is the future of the Southwest fleet,'' he said at the time.

Southwest had 23 175-seat Max 8s in its fleet of 742 aircraft as of Sept. 30, and has orders for more.

Southwest on Monday issued this statement on the crash of Lion Air Flight JT 610 from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang: "The entire Southwest family extends our Southwest heart to Lion Air and offers our deepest condolences to each of the families and loved ones affected by the tragic accident in Indonesia. We are in touch with Boeing and will await the findings from this tragic event.''

American Airlines has 15 Boeing 737 Max 8s in its fleet. It added the plane to its fleet in November 2017. Spokesman Ross Feinstein said the airline will monitor the investigation through Boeing and crash investigators.

Boeing says the 737 Max is the fastest selling plane in its history, with nearly 4,700 orders from more than 100 customers worldwide.

The company issued this statement: "The Boeing Company is deeply saddened by the loss of Flight JT 610. We express our concern for those on board, and extend heartfelt sympathies to their families and loved ones. Boeing stands ready to provide technical assistance to the accident investigation. In accordance with international protocol, all inquiries about aviation accident investigations must be directed to Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC).

United Airlines doesn't operate the Max 8 but launched flights with the Boeing 737 Max 9 in June from its hub at Houston George Bush International Airport. </s> Boeing has moved to ground its entire global 737 MAX aircraft fleet after an Ethiopian Airline crash killed 157 people.

Ethiopian authorities will deliver their first report on the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on Thursday.

The report will be released at 10.30am local time (5:30pm AEDT), Transport Ministry spokesman Mussie Yiheyis told dpa.

About 35 nationalities were among the 157 passengers and crew who died when the new Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane crashed just six minutes after takeoff from the capital Addis Ababa in clear conditions.

The March 10 disaster was the second crash of a MAX 8 in five months and has prompted the worldwide grounding of Boeing’s best-selling plane.

The pilots of the doomed Ethiopian flight initially followed Boeing’s emergency steps for dealing with a sudden downturn of the nose of their plane but could not regain control, according to a published report.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max turned off a flight-control system but still could not get the plane to climb.

They turned the system back on and tried other actions before the plane crashed, the paper said, citing anonymous sources.

In a statement, Boeing urged against speculating before the preliminary report and flight data from the plane are released.

The Journal says the pilots’ actions are still being evaluated by investigators but could raise questions about past assertions from Boeing and US regulators on how to disengage the anti-stall system.

Investigators are examining the crashes that killed all 346 aboard the 737 Max 8 jets operated by Indonesia’s Lion Air in October and Ethiopian Airlines, including the role of a flight-control system called MCAS, which under some circumstances could automatically turn the plane’s nose down to prevent an aerodynamic stall. </s> (Reuters) - Boeing Co shares fell by the most in three years on Monday after China, Indonesia and Ethiopia ordered airlines to ground their 737 MAX 8 planes following the second deadly crash of one of the jets in just five months.

The drop - around 7 percent in late morning trade - wiped nearly $16 billion off Boeing’s market value, marking an abrupt reversal for a stock that had been the runaway top performer this year in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

With a stock price near $400 a share, it was by far the largest drag on the price-weighted blue chip index on Monday.

A Nairobi-bound Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed minutes after takeoff from the country’s capital Addis Ababa on Sunday, killing all 157 on board. The same model, flown by Lion Air, crashed off the coast of Indonesia in October, killing all 189 on board.

“The grounding of the 737 MAX by China, Indonesia, and Ethiopian are near-term reputational negatives for Boeing that could impact sales, particularly if the FAA follows suit and also grounds the plane,” Cai von Rumohr, analyst at Cowen & Co, said in a research note, referring to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

Still, von Rumohr and other analysts said the accident should not pose a long-term risk to a stock that has delivered the richest total return among the 30 stocks in the Dow over the 10 years of the current bull market. Since U.S. stocks began rebounding from the financial crisis in March 2009, Boeing shares have delivered a total return, including reinvested dividends, of nearly 1,600 percent, four times the performance of the full index.

Indeed, many investors saw the initial drop in Boeing stock as an opportunity to pick up the shares at a sudden discount. After dropping by as much as 13.5 percent in the first 10 minutes of trading on Monday morning, by late morning they had recouped roughly half the loss and were down just 6.7 percent.

For a graphic on Boeing shares crushed after Ethiopia jet crash, see - tmsnrt.rs/2Ca96E7

Spreads on Boeing’s bonds, a measure of the added compensation investors demand for owning its debt, were also wider, data from Refinitiv showed. Its credit default swaps, a form of insurance against a Boeing default, rose sharply in price, according to IHS Markit. The company has about $13.8 billion of bonds issued.

Boeing said on Monday the investigation into the Ethiopian Airlines crash is in its early stages and there was no need to issue new guidance to operators of its 737 MAX 8 aircraft based on the information it has so far.

Wall Street has been overwhelmingly bullish on Boeing - 19 of the 24 brokerages covering the stock rate it “buy” or higher, while five have a “hold” rating. No brokerage has had a sell rating on the stock since July 2017.

Even with Monday’s drop, it remained the Dow’s best performer so far this year with a gain of 21.6 percent compared with 9.45 percent for the full index.

Morgan Stanley analyst Rajeev Lalwani said there would be concerns about safety, production, groundings and costs, but that those should all be manageable longer-term.

He said he was not changing the bank’s positive “overweight” recommendation on Boeing shares, and that any corrective action the company has to take on its best-selling passenger plane will likely prove a longer-term buying opportunity.

Investigators have found the black box from the fatal crash with both the cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data, Ethiopian state TV reported on Monday, which should shed light on the cause of the crash.

Earlier in the day, China’s aviation regulator grounded nearly 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by its airlines after the crash.

Boeing’s shares lost 12 percent in the weeks following the Lion Air crash last year, but have more than recouped those declines.

Shares of Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co - the biggest operator of the MAX 8 - fell 1.3 percent, while American Airlines Group Inc, which has 24 MAX 8 jets, was up 0.4 percent.

Southwest and American said overnight they remained fully confident in the aircraft and were closely monitoring the investigation.

Shares of Boeing’s European rival Airbus SE were up 1.3 percent in Paris.

Boeing delivered 806 aircraft last year, missing its target by four jets, but still retaining the title of the world’s biggest planemaker for the seventh straight year. European rival Airbus delivered 800 planes in 2018.

The 737 MAX 8 uses LEAP-1B engines made by CFM International, a joint venture of General Electric Co and Safran SA. Shares in Safran fell 1.7 percent on Monday. </s> The Latest on Boeing's 737 Max 8 model after a crash in Ethiopia (all times local):

Mideast budget airline FlyDubai says it will continue to fly Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 aircraft after reviewing a recent U.S. regulator statement about the aircraft.

Several airlines around the world have grounded the planes after a fatal crash in Ethiopia on Sunday and one in Indonesia last year.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that while others have drawn similarities between the Indonesia and Ethiopia crashes, the agency was not. The FAA also said that no later than April it expects Boeing will complete changes, including new training for pilots in automated anti-stall technology that is suspected of playing a role in the Indonesia crash.

FlyDubai said Tuesday that "no further action is required at this time" over the aircraft, which is a workhorse in the Dubai government-owned carrier's fleet.

FlyDubai' statement Tuesday comes after it said Monday that it remains "confident in the airworthiness of our fleet."

India's Jet Airways says it has grounded its five Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft after a crash in Ethiopia that killed all 157 people on board.

The airline said it is not flying any of the 737 Max planes in its fleet and is "in contact with the manufacturer."

On Monday, India's aviation watchdog said it ordered a safety assessment of the aircraft. It also issued safety instructions for flying Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

The directions call for the pilot-in-command to have at least 1,000 hours of flying experience and the co-pilot to have 500 hours on Boeing 737 NG type aircraft.

Indian airline SpiceJet also has Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, but it's unclear if those planes are grounded. Calls and emails to the company were unanswered Tuesday.

South Korean transportation authorities are conducting a safety inspection of a local airline that uses the same aircraft involved in the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash that killed 157 people.

An official from low-cost carrier Eastar Jet said Tuesday it doesn't have immediate plans to suspend operations of its two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes it uses on routes to Japan and Thailand. He said it will wait for the inspection's outcome.

No other South Korean carriers operate the plane. South Korea's Transportation Ministry says the inspection on Eastar began hours after the Ethiopian Airlines crash.

The Eastar official says government officials are reviewing Eastar's flight operation manuals and the planes' machinery and software. She said the airline was getting calls from worried customers, but no cancellations.

Singapore's civil aviation authority says it has temporarily banned all Boeing 737 Max planes from entering and leaving the country.

It noted in a statement on Tuesday that there have been two fatal accidents involving the aircraft in less than five months. Sunday's deadly crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 killed all 157 people on board.

The authority said the suspension starting later Tuesday will be "reviewed as relevant safety information becomes available."

The suspension will affect SilkAir, a regional carrier that's wholly owned by Singapore Airlines. It has six Boeing 737 Max 8 planes.

The authority said that flights to Singapore by China Southern Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Shandong Airlines and Thai Lion Air will also be affected.

Fiji Airways says it will continue flying its two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes to Pacific destinations.

Some airlines have grounded their Max 8 planes after an Ethiopian Airlines jetliner crashed on Sunday, killing 157 people. Another Max 8 plane crashed in Indonesia last year.

Fiji's national carrier said in a statement Tuesday it's following the situation closely and has full confidence in the airworthiness of its fleet. The airline says it mainly uses the MAX 8 planes on routes connecting Fiji, Australia and New Zealand.

New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority said Fiji Airways was the only carrier landing MAX 8 planes in New Zealand and it could continue doing so.

In the United States, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said her department was monitoring developments. The FAA noted the investigation into the crash had just begun and it has not yet drawn similarities between the Indonesia and Ethiopia crashes.

India's aviation watchdog issued safety instructions after the Ethiopia crash, calling for the pilot-in-command to have at least 1,000 hours of flying experience and the co-pilot to have 500 hours on Boeing 737 NG type aircraft.

Brazil's Gol Airlines is suspending the use of its 121 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft following the deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash involving the same airplane.

The company said in a press release Monday night that as of 8 p.m. local time it would be temporarily stopping the commercial use of the airplanes.

The statement says Gol is fully confident in Boeing's safety operations and it is following updates about the investigation into the 737 Max 8 in order to return the aircraft to use as soon as possible.

Gol says that since it started using the Boeing 737 Max 8 last June, the aircraft have made nearly 3,000 flights with "total security and efficiency."

The Mexican airline Aeromexico says it is suspending flights with its six Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliners following the crash of a Max 8 aircraft in Ethiopia that killed 157 people.

The company says it trusts "fully" in the safety of its fleet but adds that the grounding has been ordered to ensure "the safety of its operations and the peace of mind of its customers."

A statement issued Monday evening says the airline is in communication with Boeing as well as aviation authorities about the plane model. It says other planes will take over the flights usually flown by its Max 8 jets.

Airlines in Ethiopia, China and Indonesia have temporarily grounded their Max 8s, in addition to Caribbean carrier Cayman Airways, Comair in South Africa and Royal Air Maroc in Morocco

The Federal Aviation Administration says it expects Boeing will soon complete improvements to an automated anti-stall system that is suspected of contributing to a deadly crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8 in October.

The FAA said Monday that Boeing will also update training requirements and flight crew manuals related to the system.

The system automatically points the plane's nose down if sensors indicate the plane could be in danger of losing lift, or stalling. Sensors on the plane operated by Indonesia's Lion Air gave out faulty readings on its last four flights.

On the fatal October flight, pilots apparently struggled in vain to fight against the automated nose-down commands.

The FAA tried to discourage comparisons between the Lion Air crash and Sunday's deadly crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8. Both performed erratically shortly after takeoff, then went into nosedives. Weather did not appear to be a factor in either one.

"External reports are drawing similarities between (the Ethiopian) accident and the Lion Air Flight 610 accident," the FAA said. "However, this investigation has just begun and to date we have not been provided data to draw any conclusions or take any actions."

State-run carrier Oman Air says it is in close contact with Boeing after the crash of an Ethiopian jetliner, the same model that it uses widely.

Oman Air tweeted Monday that is talking to Boeing "to understand if there are any implications" for other airlines operating Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

It added: "Oman Air's primary and overriding consideration is the safety and well-being of its staff and guests."

Oman Air operates five Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Oman is a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula.

The crash of the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 on Sunday killed 157 people. A similar Lion Air plane crashed in Indonesia in October, killing 189 people.

Chinese and Indonesian regulators ordered their airlines to temporarily ground their Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.

Indonesia has grounded Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes for inspections following the Ethiopian Airlines crash, the second for the new aircraft since October.

Director General of Air Transportation Polana B. Pramesti said the grounding was taken to ensure flight safety in Indonesia. He said the inspections will ensure the planes are airworthy.

The crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 killed 157 people Sunday. A Lion Air model of the same plane crashed in Indonesia in October, killing 189 people.

There are currently 11 MAX 8 planes operated by airlines in Indonesia including 10 by Lion Air and 1 by national carrier Garuda.

Boeing says it is not issuing new guidance to airlines about its 737 Max 8 aircraft after a second fatal crash on Sunday.

A statement Monday referred questions about the grounding of planes to airlines and aviation authorities. It said "at this point, based on the information available, we do not have any basis to issue new guidance to operators."

China has ordered its airlines to ground their Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft by 6 p.m., and Ethiopian Airlines and Cayman Airways both are doing the same.

A crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 killed 157 people Sunday. A Lion Air model of the same plane crashed in Indonesia in October, killing 189 people.

A spokesman says Ethiopian Airlines has grounded all its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft as a safety precaution.

Asrat Begashaw said Monday that although it is not yet known what caused the crash on Sunday, the airline decided to ground its remaining four 737 Max 8 planes until further notice as "an extra safety precaution." Ethiopian Airlines was using five new 737 Max 8 planes and was awaiting delivery of 25 more.

Begashaw said searching and digging to uncover body parts and aircraft debris will continue. He said forensic experts from Israel have arrived in Ethiopia to help with the investigation.

The Middle Eastern budget carrier FlyDubai says it is in touch with Boeing and "monitoring the situation" regarding its 737 Max 8 aircraft, but has faith in its planes' airworthiness following an Ethiopian Airlines crash involving the model.

FlyDubai operates 11 Boeing 737 MAX-8 and two Boeing MAX-9 jetliners. The Dubai government-owned airline said in emailed statements Monday that it "went through a rigorous process" to choose the right aircraft for its operations and noted that it adheres to all regulations regarding its planes.

It says it remains "confident in the airworthiness of our fleet."

The Ethiopian crash killed 157 people aboard on Sunday. Chinese regulators ordered all Chinese airlines to temporarily ground their Boeing 737 Max 8 planes on Monday.

Cayman Airways says it is temporarily grounding the two Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft it operates in the wake of an Ethiopian Airlines crash involving the same plane model.

The Caribbean carrier said the grounding would take effect Monday. While he acknowledged the cause of the Ethiopian crash was unclear, airline President and CEO Fabian Whorms said the airline was taking the step because of its "commitment to putting the safety of our passengers and crew first."

He said the move would lead to scheduling changes as the carrier copes with aircraft shortages.

Cayman received its first Max 8 in November and its second just this month.

The airline is the flag carrier of the Cayman Islands, a British Overseas Territory.

The head of Indonesia's national transport safety agency says it will offer to assist the Ethiopian investigation into the crash of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane.

The same model of plane, operated by Lion Air, crashed in Indonesia in October, killing all 189 people on board. Like the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday, which killed 157 people, the Lion Air jet had erratic speed in the few minutes it was in the air.

Soerjanto Tjahjono, chairman of the National Safety Transportation Board, said Monday that Indonesia can be a party to Ethiopia's investigation because one of its citizens was among those who died in the crash.

He said, "However, we will also offer to assist the investigation process."
Boeing sells 200 of its 737 MAX planes to International Airlines Group, the first sale of the controversial airliners since two fatal crashes and subsequent worldwide groundings earlier this year.