Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg faces his biggest crisis yet following the second deadly crash of a 737 Max jetliner, as some airlines grounded the best-selling plane and the shares logged their biggest loss since the 9/11 attacks.

China ordered its carriers to ground all 96 of Boeing’s newest 737 model, while Indonesia said it would also halt flights after Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 went down in a field shortly after takeoff Sunday, killing all 157 people on board. While the flight recorders have now been recovered and must be analyzed, the disaster bore similarities to the doomed Lion Air 737 Max that crashed in October.

The 737 Max is Boeing’s most important aircraft type, generating almost one-third of the company’s operating profit and forming the backbone of many global airline fleets who use the model and Airbus’s competing A320 family on shorter routes.

Boeing sank 11 percent to $374.31 at 9:37 a.m. in New York after sliding as much as 13 percent for the biggest intraday decline since Sept. 17, 2001, the first day of trading after the 9/11 attacks.

“Boeing has lost control of the timetable to provide the safe, reliable solution,” said Neil Hansford, chairman of the Australian consultancy firm Strategic Aviation Solutions. “The longer it goes, the more chance Boeing has of losing orders.”

The grounding in China, followed by the Indonesian air safety regulator’s order to halt 737 Max flights from Tuesday, raises the specter of other countries following suit. South Korea began a special inspection of the aircraft, while in Europe, regulators said they’re in contact with their U.S. counterparts as well as Boeing, but that it’s too soon to take action.

While the groundings in China and elsewhere are important, most nations typically wait to act until the U.S. and Europe issue findings on aviation matters. The Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency oversee the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers and take the lead in ensuring the safety of their planes.

U.S. carriers such as Southwest Airlines Co., American Airlines Group Inc. and United Continental Holdings Inc. are still flying the 737 Max.

Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice and flight-data recorders, Ethiopian Airlines said Monday, a significant step forward in piecing together what happened.

Chinese airlines accounted for about 20 percent of 737 Max deliveries worldwide through January, and further purchases of the Chicago-based planemaker’s aircraft are said to have been touted as a possible component of a trade deal with the U.S.

China Southern Airlines Co. has 16 of the aircraft, with another 34 on order, according to data through January on Boeing’s website. China Eastern Airlines Corp. has 13, while Air China Ltd. has 14, Boeing says. Other Chinese airlines that have bought the Max include Hainan Airlines Holdings Co. and Shandong Airlines Co., the data show.

Lion Air, which is based in Indonesia, is one of the biggest customers, having ordered 201 Max planes and taken delivery of 14.

The single-aisle 737 Max is poised to generate about $30 billion in annual revenue as factory output rises to a 57-jet monthly pace this year, according to Bloomberg Intelligence estimates.

The disaster in Ethiopia followed the crash of Lion Air’s 737 Max off the coast of Indonesia on Oct. 29. A preliminary report into that flight indicated that pilots struggled to maintain control following an equipment malfunction. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is working with Boeing on a possible software change to reduce the chances that such a failure could cause an accident in the future.

Boeing responded to the earlier crash by advising pilots that the Max’s so-called angle-of-attack sensor can provide false readings, causing the plane’s computers to erroneously detect a mid-flight stall in airflow. That in turn can cause the aircraft to abruptly dive to regain the speed the computer has calculated it needs to keep flying. Pilots could counteract the sudden downward tilt by following a checklist in their training manual, the planemaker said.

The doomed Ethiopian jetliner left Addis Ababa at 8:38 a.m. local time, and contact was lost six minutes later, the company said in a statement. There were people from 35 nations on board, including 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, nine Ethiopians and eight Americans. The United Nations, which is hosting an environmental conference this week in Nairobi, said it lost 19 staff members in the crash.

The pilot of the ET302 reported problems shortly after takeoff and was cleared to return to the airport, said the airline’s chief executive officer, Tewolde GebreMariam. The 737 Max 8 hadn’t had any apparent mechanical issues on an earlier flight from Johannesburg, he said.

Ethiopian Airlines had five of the planes in operation as of the end of January and orders for a further 25, according to Boeing’s website. Boeing has dispatched a technical team to assist the investigation into the Ethiopian Airlines plane, which was delivered new in November to Africa’s biggest carrier, while the FAA, which originally certified the 737 Max and U.S. National Transportation Safety Board have also joined the probe.

Jet Airways India Ltd. and SpiceJet Ltd., two Indian airlines that use the 737 Max jet, and the country’s regulators have asked Boeing for information following the Ethiopia crash.

Southwest Airlines says it’s “confident in the safety of our fleet” including its 34 737 Max 8 planes American Airlines Will closely monitor the investigation via Boeing and NTSB Singapore Airlines Monitoring the situation; the 737 Max 8 flights operated by SilkAir are flying as scheduled Icelandair Says it’s had no issues with its three 737 Max 8s Korean Air Due to receive its first Max in April, is monitoring the situation Cayman Airways Grounds both its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft Thailand Says it currently has no plans to ground Boeing 737 Max jets China Grounds entire fleet of Boeing 737 Max 8 jets. China Eastern to talk with Boeing about losses caused by grounding. Flydubai Says it’s monitoring situation and in touch with BoeingA U.S.-ordered grounding of an entire model of aircraft is extremely rare and in the past has typically not occurred so soon during an investigation when few details are known. The last time the agency did so was in January 2013 as a result of overheating lithium-ion batteries on Boeing’s 787 model. The agency only acted after the second such incident occurred.

Muilenburg, 55, was running Boeing’s defense business during the Dreamliner’s grounding. Since he took the reins as CEO in July 2015, Boeing has dramatically expanded cash flow and the shares have tripled. That has boosted the company’s market value by $140 billion and made Boeing the biggest U.S. industrial company.</s>HEJERE, Ethiopia — The Latest on Ethiopian Airlines crash (all times local):

The United Arab Emirates, a key international travel hub, has barred the Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 from its airspace following the crash of a similar jetliner in Ethiopia.

It cited the similarities between Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines flight and another by Indonesia’s Lion Air last year for its decision.

The budget carrier FlyDubai, owned by the Dubai government, uses the aircraft as a workhorse of its fleet.

FlyDubai said in a statement “is adjusting its schedule to minimise disruption to passengers.”

It flies 11 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and two MAX 9s.

New Zealand and Fiji have suspended Boeing 737 Max 8 flights in and out of the two countries following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jetliner.

The decisions affect only one operator, Fiji Airways. No New Zealand airlines use the Max 8 planes.

Much of the world, including the entire European Union and Australia, has grounded the Boeing jetliner from their airspace, leaving the United States as one of the few remaining operators of the plane involved in two deadly accidents in just five months.

Graeme Harris, a director at New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority, said the decision followed discussions with other aviation authorities.

Fiji Airways and Fiji’s Civil Aviation Authority said they would ground the fleet until more information is known about the cause of the Ethiopian Airlines accident..

The union for Air Canada flight attendants says the company is allowing flight attendants who don’t want to fly on Boeing 737 Max airplanes to be reassigned and the union says they want that option to continue.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees issued a statement Tuesday asking the company to put the safety of passengers and crew first.

Wesley Lesosky, the president of the union’s Air Canada component, says the union is calling on Air Canada “to at a minimum continue to offer reassignment to crew members who do not want to fly on this type of airplane.” Union spokesman Philippe Gagnon says that option is currently being offered.

Before clearing his schedule to meet with experts, Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau said he has no plans to ground Canada’s fleet of 737 Max aircraft, but that “all options are on the table.”

Boeing’s CEO has spoken with President Donald Trump and voiced his confidence that plane maker’s 737 Max is safe.

The call Tuesday came as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration continues to back the airworthiness of the 737 Max despite a growing number of countries grounding the aircraft in the wake of the Ethiopian Airlines crash over the weekend.

The FAA says its review has so far not turned up any basis for grounding the jets.

Boeing said CEO Dennis Muilenburg spoke with Trump and expressed “his confidence in the safety of the 737 Max.” The White House confirmed the two talked but did not disclose the content of the conversation.

Icelandair Group says it has temporarily suspended operations of its three Boeing 737 Max aircraft until further notice.

President and CEO Bogi Nels Bogason said Tuesday that the company will follow developments closely and work with local, European and U.S. authorities on any steps that need to be taken.

Bogason said, however, that based available information, Icelandair’s safety processes and the training of its crew, the company is confident of the safety of the aircraft.

He said the temporary suspension won’t impact the company’s operations, as it only affects three aircraft out of a fleet of 33.

Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says the U.S. should ground the Boeing 737 Max aircraft, just as his agency halted flights of another Boeing plane six years ago because of safety concerns.

LaHood was transportation secretary in 2013 when the department grounded the Boeing 787 because of overheating lithium-ion battery packs. The planes were idled for less than a month, until Boeing crafted new fire-resistant compartments around the batteries.

LaHood says current Secretary Elaine Chao should do the same thing, even if it means overruling the FAA, which has taken no action despite dozens of other countries banning the plane from their skies.

He says that Chao has the authority to suspend the 737 Max and require inspections by both FAA and Boeing personnel.

Kenya lost more citizens than anyone in the Ethiopian Airlines crash, and its transport minister is now trying to reassure a grieving country that no Kenyan airline has the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane in its fleet.

James Macharia in a statement late Tuesday also says “no foreign carrier is currently operating the aircraft type in Kenyan airspace.” The statement appears to stop short of joining many countries in closing airspace to the plane.

As families of the 32 Kenyans killed seek answers, the minister says Kenya’s government is working with Ethiopian Airlines to help relatives travel to Ethiopia’s capital.

A global team of investigators is looking into the cause of the crash that killed 157 people.

India says it is immediately grounding all Boeing 737 Max 8 planes after Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines crash.

A statement late Tuesday says the planes will be grounded till appropriate modifications and safety measures are undertaken to ensure their safe operations.

The statement does not say how many planes are affected.

India says it continues to “consult closely with regulators around the world, airlines and aircraft manufacturers to ensure passenger safety.”

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said there will be a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash Sunday of the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 airplane in which 157 people died.

“The Ethiopian Airlines crash will be studied in detail. The conclusions that will come out of its probe will be beneficial to the rest of the world,” said Abiy at a press conference with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Our technical team is conducting a detailed study,” said Abiy. “These types of accidents broke everyone’s heart. I hope we will learn from this crash.”

Italy is joining other European countries in closing its airspace to Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

The Italian Civil Aviation Authority says aircraft of that type cannot operate to and from airports in Italy starting at 9 p.m. local time (2000 GMT) on Tuesday, until further notice.

The authority says the measure is precautionary, given the lack of “reliable information” regarding the cause of the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines jet shortly after takeoff on Sunday.

The European Aviation Safety Agency has just issued a directive grounding all Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 model aircraft. It applies to all European Union airspace.

The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued a directive grounding all Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 model aircraft following two recent deadly crashes.

The grounding applies to all European Union airspace.

The crash in Ethiopia on Sunday came five months after an Indonesian Lion Air jet plunged into the ocean.

EASA said in its emergency airworthiness directive Tuesday that “at this early stage” of the most recent investigation, “it cannot be excluded that similar causes may have contributed to both events.”

It adds that “based on all available information, EASA considers that further actions may be necessary to ensure the continued airworthiness of the two affected models.”

It says companies may make one noncommercial flight to return their planes to a location where they can be inspected.

Consumer Reports is calling on airlines and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to ground Boeing 737 Max 8 jets until they finish a thorough safety investigation.

The consumer website says in a statement that American, Southwest and other carriers should do what foreign governments and airlines have done and temporarily suspend flights.

Britain, Germany, France, China and other countries have stopped the planes from flying or barred them from their airspace after Sunday’s deadly crash in Ethiopia.

Consumer Reports says the Ethiopian crash and a Lion Air crash in October justify grounding the planes.

“Telling the public that the airplane is airworthy, as the FAA has done, without offering further explanation, does far too little to relieve the uncertainty and fear created by these two tragedies,” the statement says.

Poland’s state carrier LOT says it is grounding its five Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

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

LOT received its first Boeing 737 Max 8 in December 2017. It plans to have 15 such planes by January 2020.

The Dutch government has followed several other European nations in closing its airspace to the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft that was involved in two recent fatal crashes.

Infrastructure and Water Ministry spokesman Roel Vincken says the government decided to close its airspace on Tuesday following advice from the Dutch aviation authority.

France, Britain and Germany also have announced airspace closures after the crash on Sunday of a Boeing 737 Max 8 in Ethiopia and another crash in October by the same model of plane in Indonesia.

Turkish Airlines says two Britain-bound Boeing 737 Max flights are returning to Istanbul after British airspace was closed to the aircraft.

A company official told The Associated Press on Tuesday the planes — one heading for London and the other for Birmingham — were about to land in Istanbul after being diverted back. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

The company earlier announced that it was grounding all 12 Boeing 737 Max aircraft in its fleet until further notice.

Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau says “all options are on the table” with regard to the country’s fleet of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft but says the government currently has no plans to order the grounding of the plane.

Garneau’s comments came minutes after announcements from Britain, Germany, France and Ireland that they were grounding or closing airspace to the new Boeing plane involved in the Ethiopian Airlines disaster.

He later tweeted that he has canceled all his meetings and public events on Tuesday to meet with his Civil Aviation Expert Panel and will consider all potential actions.

Canada is working with the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority to determine if action is required.

No U.S. airlines have grounded the Boeing 737 Max 8 models that they fly, but at least one group representing flight attendants at a major carrier says it does not want to put its members on the plane until further investigations are completed.

After the second deadly crash involving the model in five months, several airlines and countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East have grounded it or banned it from their airspace.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents more than 26,000 flight attendants at American Airlines, called on CEO Doug Parker to “strongly consider grounding these planes until an investigation can be performed.” The group said flight attendants will not be forced to fly if they feel unsafe.

Brian Parrish, a spokesman for Southwest Airlines which flies 34 Max 8s, said the carrier remains confident about the plane’s safety. American Airlines Group, which flies 24 of the planes, said it has full confidence in the model.

Turkish Airlines says it is grounding all Boeing 737 Max aircraft in its fleet until further notice.

In a statement issued on Twitter on Tuesday, Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi said all Boeing 737 Max flights are suspended until the “uncertainty affecting safety is cleared.” He added that passenger safety was the company’s priority.

Turkish Airlines is the latest company around the world to ground the planes following the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday.

The French Civil Aviation Authority has joined several other nations and closed French airspace to all Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

In a statement Tuesday, the authority says that “France is carefully following the progress of the inquiry” relating to the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash in Addis Ababa on Sunday that left 157 people dead.

It says French airline companies do not possess any of the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

But as a precautionary measure, French authorities have decided to “forbid all commercial flights on a Boeing 737 Max departing from, traveling to, or flying across, France.”

Irish aviation authorities have suspended all variants of Boeing 737 Max aircraft into and out of Ireland’s airspace as European aviation regulators respond to recent crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

Irish authorities say they made the decision “based on ensuring the continued safety of passengers and flight crew.”

The decision comes shortly after UK civilian aviation authorities took a similar step, motivated by the lack of information coming from the flight data recorder involved in the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday.

Experts are chasing details on why the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 on board. But answers could take months and regulators are taking steps in the interim.

Germany’s transport ministry says the country is closing its airspace to Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, following a similar decision by Britain.

The ministry confirmed to news agency dpa on Tuesday comments made by Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer to n-tv television.

The broadcaster quoted Scheuer on its website as saying safety is the priority, and “until all doubts are cleared up, I have ordered that German airspace be closed for the Boeing 737 Max with immediate effect.”

Germany joins a rapidly growing number of nations and carriers either grounding the planes or barring them from their airspace.

President Donald Trump is bemoaning the complexity of modern airplanes in the wake of two deadly crashes in the past five months.

Trump tweeted Tuesday that the additional “complexity creates danger” and hinders pilots from making “split second decisions” to ensure their passengers’ safety.

He added that “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want Albert Einstein to be my pilot.”

The president did not specifically mention the crashes but his remarks come after several nations, but not the United States, have grounded the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

The aircraft crashed in Indonesia last year and in Ethiopia on Sunday.

Trump participated in a signing ceremony last month in Hanoi between U.S.-based Boeing and the Vietnamese government.

Norwegian Air Shuttle says it has grounded its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft on recommendation from European aviation authorities after Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines crash.

The Norwegian carrier has 18 of the planes.

Tomas Hesthammer, the low-cost carrier’s acting chief operating officer, says that “the safety and security of our customers and colleagues will never be compromised, and once authorities advise to cease operations we will of course comply.”

A growing number of airlines and countries around the world have grounded the planes.

British regulators have grounded Boeing 737 Max aircraft following the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority says in a statement Tuesday that though it had been monitoring the situation, it had as a precautionary measure “issued instructions to stop any commercial passenger flights from any operator arriving, departing or overflying UK airspace.”

Some five 737 Max aircraft are registered and operational in the United Kingdom, while a sixth had planned to commence operations later this week.

Several countries have now grounded the planes.

Experts are chasing details on why the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 on board. Answers could take months.

Malaysian authorities say all flights by Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft into and out of the country have been suspended following two fatal crashes involving the jet in less than five months.

The Civil Aviation Authority said in a short statement Tuesday that no Malaysian carriers operate the Max 8, but that foreign airlines are banned from flying the plane in Malaysia, and from transiting in the country, until further notice.

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

Civil aviation authorities in the United Arab Emirates say they have joined U.S. authorities and Boeing “to investigate and collect data” regarding the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jetliner.

The General Civil Aviation Authority made the announcement Tuesday via the Emirates’ state-run WAM news agency.

It comes as neighboring Oman says it will “temporarily suspend” all Boeing 737 Max aircraft at its airports.

The UAE’s aviation authority says it also contacted Ethiopian Airlines and Chinese authorities.

The statement adds that “the GCAA will not be reluctant to ground the UAE-registered Boeing 737 Max fleet, if required, to ensure the highest standard of aviation safety is achieved.”

The Dubai government-owned carrier FlyDubai uses the 737 Max on its flights.

Oman says it is “temporarily suspending” flights by Boeing 737 Max aircraft at its airports after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jetliner of the same type.

The Public Authority for Civil Aviation made the announcement Tuesday.

State-owned 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.

Airlines around the world have begun grounding the aircraft as an investigation into Sunday’s crash continues.

A pilot who saw the Ethiopian Airlines crash site minutes after the disaster says the plane appeared to have “slid directly into the ground.”

Capt. Solomon Gizaw was among the first people dispatched to find the crash site, which was discovered by Ethiopia’s air force.

He tells The Associated Press that from above “there was nothing to see. It looked like the earth had swallowed the aircraft. ... We were surprised!”

He says it explains why rescue officials quickly sent bulldozers to begin digging out large pieces of the plane. He is the managing director of a private flight service.

Sunday’s crash shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa killed all 157 on board.

Ethiopian Airlines says it should take five days to identify the remains of the 157 people killed in Sunday’s crash outside Addis Ababa.

Spokesman Asrat Begashaw tells The Associated Press that “it will take five days to clear everything” and the airline would release more details later Tuesday.

A global team of investigators led by Ethiopian authorities is assembling.

The cause of the crash of the new plane on a clear day remains unknown.

Australia has suspended all flights into or out of the country by Boeing 737 Max aircraft, the type that was involved in Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines crash.

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority says no Australian airlines operate the aircraft type, but two foreign airlines — SilkAir and Fiji Airways — fly them to Australia.

It says Singapore-based SilkAir has already suspended operation of its 737 Max aircraft.

The Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 plane crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 people on board. Five months earlier, a similar Indonesian Lion Air jet plunged into the ocean, killing 189.

The Australian civil aviation authority’s director of aviation safety, Shane Carmody, says that because of the two accidents, the temporary suspension of Boeing 737 Max operations is in the best interest of safety.

A South Korean airline says it will suspend operations of its two Boeing 737 Max 8 planes, the same aircraft involved in the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash that killed 157 people.

An Eastar Jet official said Tuesday that the planes will be replaced by Boeing 737-800 planes from Wednesday on routes to Japan and Thailand. She didn’t want to be named, citing office rules.

She says the airline hasn’t found any problems, but is voluntarily grounding Boeing 737 Max 8s in a response to customer concerns. She says the planes will not be used until the completion of a government safety review on the aircraft.

An official from South Korea’s Transportation Ministry says it has yet to find any problems from safety reviews on Eastar’s planes that started Monday.

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

FlyDubai says that “no further action is required at this time” over the aircraft, a workhorse in the Dubai government-owned carrier’s fleet.

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 FlyDubai statement says it remains “confident in the airworthiness of our fleet.” It operates 11 Boeing 737 Max-8 jetliners.

A team of U.S. aviation experts has arrived in Ethiopia to join an investigation into Sunday’s crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jetliner that killed 157 people.

As questions grow about the new Boeing plane involved in the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration said late Monday it is at the crash site outside the capital, Addis Ababa, with representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board.

They join an Ethiopian-led investigation that includes authorities from neighboring Kenya and elsewhere.

The plane crashed six minutes into a flight to Nairobi and a growing number of countries and airlines have grounded the new Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliner as a result.

One witness has told The Associated Press that smoke was coming from the plane’s rear before it crashed.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>SINGAPORE — A growing number of airlines and countries around the world have grounded Boeing 737 MAX jets or banned them from their airspace following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that killed 157 people on Sunday, five months after a similar Indonesian Lion Air jet plunged into the ocean, killing 189. A look at those countries and airlines:

Australia has announced a temporary ban on flights by 737 MAX aircraft, although none of its airlines currently operate them. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority said Tuesday that the ban will affect two foreign airlines — SilkAir and Fiji Airways — that use them for flights to Australia. The authority said Singapore’s SilkAir has already grounded its 737 MAX jets, and that it is working with regulators there and in Fiji to minimize disruptions. It said that Fiji Airways has two 737 MAX 8 jets in its fleet. Fiji Airways and Fiji’s Civil Aviation Authority said they would ground the fleet until more information is known about the cause of the Ethiopian Airlines accident.

Brazil’s Gol Airlines has suspended the use of seven Max 8 jets. The airline said it is following the investigation closely and hopes to return the aircraft to use as soon as possible. Gol said it has made nearly 3,000 flights with the Max 8, which went into service last June, with “total security and efficiency.”

Canadian charter airline Sunwing has suspended use of its four 737 MAX 8 planes. Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau said he has no plans to ground Canada’s fleet of 737 MAX aircraft, but that “all options are on the table.”

Cayman Airways, a Caribbean carrier, has stopped using its two Max 8 jets. President and CEO Fabian Whorms said the move starting Monday will cause changes to flight schedules. Cayman is the flag carrier of Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory.

China has 96 Max 8 jets in service, belonging to carriers such as Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines. The Civil Aviation Authority directed the planes to be grounded indefinitely on Monday. It said the order was “taken in line with the management principle of zero tolerance for security risks.” There were eight Chinese citizens on the Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed shortly after taking off on Sunday. The authority said it will consult the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing before deciding when to lift the ban.

A spokesman for Ethiopian Airlines said it grounded its remaining four Max 8 jets as an “extra safety precaution” while it investigates Sunday’s deadly crash. The airline is awaiting the delivery of 25 more Max 8 jets.

The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued a directive grounding all 737 MAX 8 and Max 9 aircraft. EASA said in its emergency airworthiness directive Tuesday that “at this early stage” of the most recent investigation, “it cannot be excluded that similar causes may have contributed to both events.” It said “based on all available information, EASA considers that further actions may be necessary to ensure the continued airworthiness of the two affected models.” It said companies may make one noncommercial flight to return their planes to a location where they can be inspected. The grounding applies to all European Union airspace.

Fiji has suspended all Max 8 flights in and out of the country. The decision only affects one operator, Fiji Airways.

Hong Kong has banned the operation of all 737 MAX aircraft “into, out of and over” the key Asian aviation hub beginning Wednesday evening. The announcement from the Civil Aviation Department said the ban would continue “until further notice.” It said the department has been in close contact with the FAA and other the relevant organizations, including the two airlines, SpiceJet of India and Russia’s Globus Airlines, that use the aircraft to operate flights into and out of Hong Kong International Airport.

Icelandair Group has temporarily suspended operations of its three 737 MAX aircraft until further notice. President and CEO Bogi Nels Bogason said Tuesday that the company will follow developments closely and work with local, European and U.S. authorities on any steps that need to be taken. He said the temporary suspension won’t impact the company’s operations, as it only affects three aircraft out of a fleet of 33.

India has grounded all 737 MAX 8 planes. A statement late Tuesday said the planes “will be grounded till appropriate modifications and safety measures are undertaken to ensure their safe operations.” The statement did not say how many planes were affected.

Indonesia has temporarily grounded Max 8 jets to inspect their airworthiness. Director General of Air Transportation Polana B. Pramesti said the move was made to ensure flight safety. A Lion Air model of the same plane crashed in Indonesia in October. Indonesian airlines operate 11 Max 8 jets. Lion Air, which owns 10 of them, said it will try to minimize the impact of the decision on operations. The other Max 8 jet belongs to national carrier Garuda.

New Zealand has suspended Max 8 flights in and out of the country. The decision only affects one operator, Fiji Airways. No New Zealand airlines use the Max 8 planes.

The Civil Aviation Authority said no Malaysian carriers operate the Max 8, but that foreign airlines are banned from flying the plane in Malaysia, and from transiting in the country, until further notice.

Mexican airline Aeromexico has suspended flights of its six Max 8 jets. Aeromexico said it “fully” trusts the safety of its fleet but ordered the grounding to ensure “the safety of its operations and the peace of mind of its customers.” It said other planes will take over the routes usually flown by the Max 8.

Oman and the United Arab Emirates have barred flights by Max 8 and Max 9 aircraft. Oman’s Public Authority for Civil Aviation made the sultanate’s announcement, without elaborating on its reasoning. State-owned Oman Air operates five Max 8 aircraft and said it was rescheduling other planes for its flights.

Singapore has temporarily banned Max 8 jets — and other models in the Max range — from entering and leaving the country. The Civil Aviation Authority said it was “closely monitoring the situation” and the ban will be “reviewed as relevant safety information becomes available.” SilkAir, a regional carrier owned by Singapore Airlines, has six Max 8 jets. It said the ban “will have an impact on some of the airline’s flight schedules.”

Comair, the operator of British Airways and Kulula flights in South Africa, has grounded its Max 8 while it consults with Boeing, other operators and technical experts. Its statement did not say how many planes were affected. It said the decision was made without intervention from regulatory authorities.

South Korean airline Eastar Jet has suspended operations of its two Max 8 planes and replaced them with Boeing 737-800 planes starting Wednesday on routes to Japan and Thailand. The airline said it hasn’t found any problems, but is voluntarily grounding the planes in response to customer concerns.

Turkish Airlines has suspended all Max flights. In a statement Tuesday on Twitter, CEO Bilal Eksi said the suspension would continue until the “uncertainty affecting safety is cleared.”

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority has banned the aircraft from its airspace in what is said was “a precautionary measure.” The Max is the workhorse of the Dubai government-owned budget carrier FlyDubai. It operates 11 Max 8 and 2 Max 9 jets. Its total fleet is around 60 aircraft, including other models of the 737.

Vietnam has banned Max planes from flying into its airspace. The director of Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority said Wednesday that airlines flying those models of planes will have to change the aircraft for safety purposes. The ban lasts until further notice. None of Vietnam’s four airlines uses the Max model planes in their fleets, but Korea’s Eastar Jet, Thai Lion Air and Malaysia’s Malindor Air fly those planes to Vietnamese destinations.</s>U.S. Senators Mitt Romney and Elizabeth Warren on Tuesday called on the Federal Aviation Administration to follow several other countries and temporarily ground Boeing Co's 737 MAX 8, days after a crash in Ethiopia killed everyone onboard one of the planes.

"Out of an abundance of caution for the flying public, the (FAA) should ground the 737 MAX 8 until we investigate the causes of recent crashes and ensure the plane's airworthiness," Romney said in a tweet.

Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican who chairs a subcommittee on aviation and space, said it would be prudent "to temporarily ground 737 Max aircraft" until the FAA "confirms the safety of these aircraft and their passengers." Cruz added he intends "to hold a hearing to investigate these crashes, determine their contributing factors, and ensure that the United States aviation industry remains the safest in the world."

The calls came as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and numerous countries including Britain, China, Australia, Germany, France and Singapore have grounded the aircraft.

Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate, said the FAA should "immediately ground this plane in the United States until its safety can be assured."

She also called on Congress to review the decision. "The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is a major driver of Boeing profits. In the coming weeks and months, Congress should hold hearings on whether an administration that famously refused to stand up to Saudi Arabia to protect Boeing arms sales has once again put lives at risk for the same reason," Warren said in a statement released by her presidential campaign.

Romney, the Republican candidate for president in 2012, joined similar calls from senators Richard Blumenthal and Dianne Feinstein, who are Democrats.

The FAA declined to comment on the senators' statements.

Regulators around the world and a growing number of airlines are grounding the 737 MAX 8 in the wake of two fatal crashes in five months.

Sara Nelson, who heads the Association of Flight Attendants union, on Tuesday urged the FAA to temporarily ground the 737 MAX fleet, as did Consumer Reports, an influential U.S. magazine.

"This is about public confidence in the safety of air travel," said Nelson.

Boeing in a statement on Tuesday did not directly address the senators' comments but said it has "full confidence in the safety of the MAX" and noted the FAA has not mandated "any further action at this time."

Boeing added it understands "regulatory agencies and customers have made decisions that they believe are most appropriate for their home markets."

The FAA told international carriers on Monday there was no need to ground the plane but it would mandate a software upgrade and training changes by April. Boeing confirmed late on Monday that it will roll out those changes in the coming weeks.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao told reporters on Monday that regulators would not hesitate to act if they find a safety issue.

"If the FAA identifies an issue that affects safety, the department will take immediate and appropriate action," Chao said. "I want people to be assured that we take these incidents, these accidents very seriously."

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been briefed on the Ethiopian Airlines crash according to administration officials, on Tuesday tweeted that "Airplanes are becoming far too complex to fly. Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT."

He added "complexity creates danger. All of this for great cost yet very little gain. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want Albert Einstein to be my pilot. I want great flying professionals that are allowed to easily and quickly take control of a plane!"

Trump spoke to Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg on Tuesday after the tweets were issued and received assurances that the aircraft was safe, three people briefed on the call said. The call had been in the works since Monday night, a source said.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told Fox News on Tuesday that it was "very early in the process" of deciding whether to ground the 737 MAX 8. She added the White House would be in "constant contact" with the FAA "to make determinations at an appropriate time."</s>Reaction to the Ethiopian Airlines disaster last weekend keep crashing down on Boeing and the airlines operating its 737 MAX aircraft. Norwegian Air Shuttle is one of the latest of the 40 airlines that operate the popular long-range twin-jet to announce a suspension of service.

Norwegian announced this morning that it will temporarily suspend Boeing 737 MAX flights, following recommendations by European aviation authorities. The airline said it “will not operate any flights with this aircraft type until further notice." Norwegian apologized to customers who might be affected. The company added that it's staying in touch with aviation authorities and with Boeing, and plans to follow their instructions and recommendations. While Norwegian has 18 Boeing 737 MAX 8 in its fleet today, the airline also has 110 Boeing 737–800 aircraft, which will not be affected by the suspension.

“In response to the temporary suspension of Being 737 MAX operations by multiple aviation authorities we have taken the decision to not operate flights using this aircraft type until advised otherwise by the relevant aviation authorities,” Tomas Hesthammer, Norwegian’s acting Chief Operating Officer, said. “We would like to apologize to customers for any inconvenienced caused, however, safety will always remain our top priority.”

Norwegian barely got in front of British authorities, who put a ban on the aircraft type this morning, and the European Union, which grounded flights this afternoon. The US FAA has yet to act, while Boeing has stated it will be issuing a software patch to address presumed issues with the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) control system, such as possible false stall warnings

A number of MAX flights were actually turned away from the UK with the new ban. On a Turkish Airlines flight, passengers were first told the plane was returning because British airspace was closed, then supposedly because of the weather. Only when the plane landed back in Turkey did passengers learn they were flying on a 737 MAX like the one that crashed in Ethiopia.

Norwegian received its first two 737 MAX aircraft in June of 2017. In fact, Norwegian was the first European carrier to get the plane, getting the 5th and 6th 737 MAX aircraft built by Boeing. While Norwegian’s eighteen 737 MAX aircraft represent only about 15% of the airline's 737 fleet, the aircraft, which boast a 3500 nautical mile range, play an outsized role in Norwegian’s international service.

When the first planes were delivered, Norwegian announced that they would fly twelve routes between the northeastern U.S. and Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Norway. Norwegian boasted that it's 737 MAX 8 aircraft offered 189 seats, with a 14% reduction in fuel use and CO2 emissions, 40% less noise and 8% lower operating costs. The narrow-body jets were seen as easy to fill with passengers as well as well as less expensive to operate, ideal for Norwegian’s low-cost long-haul model.

Norwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos said, "When we get the MAX, when we can fly it full… it's going to be very interesting because you can fly it on very low fares. The MAX is a very cost-effective airplane."

Aviation publications ran headlines like “Norwegian plans MAXimum disruption to legacy carriers with transatlantic network growth”

Of course, no one counted on this sort of “MAXimum disruption.” To cope, Norwegian says it is “re-allocating fleet options to minimize the impact of the suspension of 737 MAX aircraft.” The airline says it will not operate any flights with the 737 MAX “until further notice,” presumably when civil aviation authorities in the US give the all-clear signal. Planes in the air were to either fly on to their destination or return to home base.

As for the rest of the flight schedule, “We are now working on re-allocating our fleet options with other aircraft types, re-bookings to other flights and combining flights to minimize the inconvenience caused to our passengers. Affected passengers will be informed via SMS and our web pages.”

Norwegian and its competitors are no doubt “dialing for dollars”, looking for possible lease aircraft to fill the yet-unknown period between the groundings and when the MAX is deemed safe to fly. Whether Boeing will pay compensation, and how much, is no doubt an issue as well. Hopefully, the airline will have either its MAXes back or leased aircraft to operate during the upcoming spring and summer travel season.

But for Norwegian, some of the problems are immediate. For example, Norwegian just announced a St. Patrick’s Day sale from Stewart (SWF), Providence (PVD) and Toronto, to Ireland’s Dublin, Shannon, and Cork, starting at $99 one-way. A spokesperson said, “We will suspend the St. Patrick’s sale promotion as a result of this new development. At the moment, we are offering free rebooking and refund for customers that are affected.”

For Norwegian, the latest headache from Boeing comes on top of another costly and disruptive problem with the Rolls-Royce Trent engines on its longer-range 787 Dreamliners. The issue, with possible failure of compressor blades, has resulted in a number of aircraft on ground (AOG) and out of service. Last summer, this forced Norwegian to lease an Airbus A380 to transport paid passengers during the summer rush. Rolls Royce says it expects the number of grounded Dreamliners to shrink in 2019, as aircraft are fitted with the FAA-approved new blades.

Nonetheless, Norwegian, which has its own financial issues, doesn’t need MAX problems on top of Dreamliner issues. But unlike many now-deceased, European low-cost airline startups, Norwegian has shown an ability to adapt to adversity and keep on flying.</s>WASHINGTON, March 11 (Reuters) - The United States will tell international carriers later Monday that the agency believes the Boeing 737 MAX 8 is airworthy but officials emphasized they will “take immediate action” if regulators identify any safety issue following Sunday’s fatal crash in Ethiopia.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said on Monday the Federal Aviation Administration would issue a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community, or CANIC, for Boeing 737 MAX 8 operators at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT).

“If the FAA identifies an issue that affects safety, the department will take immediate and appropriate action,” Chao told reporters. “I want people to be assured that we take these incidents, these accidents very seriously.”

Boeing Co did not immediately comment Monday.

Canada is taking a similar approach and its transport minister said he will not hesitate to act once the cause of the crash is known.

An Ethiopian Airlines passenger jet bound for Nairobi crashed minutes after take-off on Sunday, killing all 157 people on board and raising questions about the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, a new model that also crashed and killed 189 people in Indonesia in October.

FAA chief Dan Elwell on Monday said the notification basically “informs the international community where we are and sort of a one answer to the whole community.” He dubbed it a “broadcast to the world about where we are.”

The National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA are both on scene in Ethiopia, Chao said.

Boeing’s share price dropped 10 percent in early trading on Monday at the prospect that two such crashes in such a short time could reveal flaws in its new plane. They were down 5.8 percent in the late-afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

The 737 line, which has flown for more than 50 years, is the world’s best-selling modern passenger aircraft and viewed as one of the industry’s most reliable.

China ordered its airlines to ground the jet, a move followed by Indonesia and Ethiopia. Other airlines, from North America to the Middle East, kept flying the 737 MAX 8 on Monday after Boeing said it was safe.</s>ADDIS ABABA/OSLO- Ethiopian Airlines said on Wednesday it would send the black boxes from its crashed Boeing 737 MAX abroad for expert analysis, and a Norwegian airline sought compensation after it grounded its models in the wake of the disaster.Two-thirds of the 737 MAX aircraft have been grounded globally, and Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam told the BBC the world's biggest planemaker should ground all such craft until their safety is established.Sunday's still unexplained crash of the passenger jet, just after take-off from Addis Ababa en route to Nairobi, killed 157 people and followed another disaster involving a 737 MAX in Indonesia five months ago that killed 189 people.The investigation may focus on an automated anti-stall system that dips the nose down.The twin crashes have spooked the airline industry and heaped pressure on Boeing, whose shares have plunged.Multiple nations, including the European Union, have suspended the 737 MAX, leading to the grounding of about two-thirds of the 371 jets of that make in operation around the world, according to Reuters calculations.Boeing has nearly 5,000 more on order.However, with no evidence of links between the Ethiopia and Indonesia crashes, the United States has bucked the backlash and allowed 737 MAX planes to continue operating.Even as many passengers sought reassurances they would not be flying on a 737 MAX, the world's biggest planemaker said it retains "full confidence" in the model.Boeing shares fell 6.1 percent on Tuesday, bringing losses to 11.15 percent since the crash, the steepest two-day loss for the stock since July 2009. The drop has lopped $26.65 billion off Boeing's market value.Adding to the pressure, Norwegian Air said it would seek recompense for lost revenue and extra costs after grounding its 737 MAX aircraft. "We expect Boeing to take this bill," it said. Industry sources said more claims may come.In Ethiopia, which lacks forensic expertise, Ethiopian Airlines said the black box voice and data recorders recovered on Monday would be sent overseas for analysis.That could be in Europe, the state company's CEO told CNN. Britain's air accident investigation branch said that so far it had not been approached to handle the black boxes.U.S. officials said the black box devices suffered damage but should yield some initial results within 24 hours of data being downloaded.More than a dozen relatives of those who perished in the crash, mainly Kenyans who have flown in, went to pay respects at the rural crash site where Flight ET 302 came down in a fireball. Workers set up tents decorated with white roses.However, given problems of identification of charred remains, it will take days to start returning them to families, probably weeks for some which will require dental or DNA testing. The victims came from more than 30 nations, and included nearly two dozen U.N. staff.Resisting pressure, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration 's (FAA) acting administrator Dan Elwel said its review had shown "no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft".U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg and got safety assurances.The three U.S. airlines using the 737 MAX - Southwest Airlines Co, American Airlines Group Inc and United Airlines - stood by the aircraft, although many potential passengers took to social media to express concerns, asking if they could change flights or cancel.However, Egypt, Thailand, Lebanon and Uzbekistan on Wednesday joined the long list of nations suspending the model.Of the top 10 countries by air passenger travel, all but the United States and Japan have halted flights of the 737 MAX. The EU, China, Indonesia, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, India and others have temporarily suspended the plane.The new variant of the world's most-sold modern passenger aircraft was viewed as the likely workhorse for global airlines for decades.A debate over automation lies at the centre of the investigation into October's Lion Air crash in Indonesia.A focus there is the role of a software system designed to push the plane down to prevent a stall during flight, alongside airline training and repair standards. Boeing says it plans to update the software in the coming weeks.Though there are no proven links between the two recent 737 MAX crashes, the United Arab Emirates' aviation regulator said on Tuesday there were "marked similarities" and China's regulator noted both occurred shortly after take-off.In November, two incidents were reported to the NASA-run Aviation Safety Reporting Database that involved problems in controlling the 737 MAX at low altitude just after take-off with autopilot engaged, according to documents first published by the Dallas Morning News and verified by Reuters."We discussed the departure at length and I reviewed in my mind our automation setup and flight profile but can't think of any reason the aircraft would pitch nose down so aggressively," one pilot said.In another case, the pilot said: "With the concerns with the MAX 8 nose down stuff, we thought it appropriate to bring it to your attention."Boeing did not respond immediately to a request for comment, but it has previously said it provided appropriate information to pilots to use an existing procedure to handle the issue of erroneous data affecting the anti-stall system.</s>Ajoutez ce Tweet à vote site Web en copiant le code ci-dessous. 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Aperçu</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."</s>While numerous countries around the world have grounded the Boeing 737 Max, the United States refuses, and critics are asking why.

Following the second deadly crash of a Boeing 737 Max airliner in just over four months on Sunday, countries around the world — including Australia, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Argentina, Mexico, the United Kingdom, European Union, and India — have grounded the plane until a full investigation can determine whether the two crashes were the result of a flaw in the plane itself. But in the United States, as The Associated Press reports, the federal Aviation Administration has so far refused to order U.S. air carriers to keep their 737 Max planes out of the sky.

On Sunday, an Ethiopia Airlines Boeing 2737 Max crashed on takeoff, NBC News reported, killing all 157 people on board. The crash occurred just four months and 10 days after a Boeing 737 Max operated by Indonesia’s Lion Air also crashed shortly after takeoff, killing the 189 people on the plane. The two crashes are the 66th and 36th deadliest air disasters in history, according to the database Plane Crash Info.

Air passengers in the United States have been taking to social media to express their anxieties about the U.S. refusal to ground the planes, according to an NBC News report, and congressional reps are now asking why the FAA has not ordered the planes grounded.

Peter DeFazio, the Oregon Democrat who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said on Tuesday that he is “concerned that international aviation regulators are providing more certainty to the flying public than the FAA,” according to the AP report.

But a New York Times report published on Tuesday may have provided some insight into the U.S government’s reluctance to order the Boeing planes to temporarily stop flying. According to The Times, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg (pictured at the top of this page) phoned Donald Trump early on Tuesday, to personally plead with him not to ground the 737 Max.

Muilenburg has been cultivating a personal relationship with Trump since shortly after the 2016 presidential election, The Times reported. Following a visit by the CEO to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Boeing donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration, according to The Times.

The Trump inaugural committee raised an unprecedented $106.7 million, more than double the previous record amount raised by Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration, according to Vox. Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are currently investigating the 2017 Trump inaugural committee, as questions continue to swirl about how the committee raised that whopping sum of cash — and how it was spent.

Boeing also gave $1 million to Obama’s 2013 inaugural committee, according to The Times.
The European Union, Australia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Turkey ground all Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets. This means 40% of the global fleet is now grounded, with Indonesia, China and several airlines grounding their aircraft yesterday. Boeing states they will issue a software update for the model within weeks.