The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on this Saturday asks all the airlines operators who have a Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft in their fleet to immediately do a proper inspection of all the Max aircraft soon after the incident which happened with the Alaska Airline on Friday.
In India Air India Express, Akasa Air and Spicejet have these Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft in their present fleet.
What Happened With Alaska Air?
It was Friday, 5th January 2024 that on one of the Alaska Airlines’s Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft the emergency exit door blew out just after when the plane took off from Portland, Oregon. The plane was en route to Ontario, California when the incident happened. An emergency landing was made back to Portland after the accident .
The cabin pressure dropped insanely inside the plane and also some passengers complained that their phones were sucked out of the opening. But the good thing is that the plane landed safely back at Portland with all the 171 passengers on-board safe.
What Move Did The DGCA Made?
The Directorate General Of Civil Aviation on Saturday said “Following the Alaska Airline’s incident which happened on Friday which involves a Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft there has not been any guidance or statements from the Boeing company till now. Non of the Indian airlines has that aircraft (Boeing 737-9 Max) as a part of fleet yet. But yes they have the Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft which is of the same family of the aircraft.
‘However as a precautionary measure, the DGCA has directed all the Indian opreators to carry out a one-time inspection of all the Max aircraft specially the emergency exit currently opreating as their fleet, the department added.
The Alaska Air currently operates a fleet of 65 B737-9 Max aircraft. And for now the airline has grounded the entire fleet for the inspections and maintenance wherever needed. And has planned to start back the operations once this inspection is complete.
Air India Express
In a statement, Air India Express said it is aware of the incident which happened with Alaska Airline and also denoted that they don’t have the exact same model of the aircraft with them on which the incident happened. Because Alaska Airline has B737-9 Max aircraft and Air India Express has B737-8 Max aircraft in its fleet. Although the company has said that it is in touch with the Boeing company for further information information regarding this, as well as with their regulators and that they will comply with any advisory.