Flydubai says ‘confident’ about the airworthiness of its Boeing 737 fleet

Flydubai has said it “remains confident” in the airworthiness of its Boeing 737 fleet, a day after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which killed all the 157 people on board.

“We are monitoring the situation and continue to be in touch with Boeing. We remain confident in the airworthiness of our fleet,” a spokesperson said.

In late 2017, flydubai finalised the purchase of 175 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes with options for an additional 50 jets in a deal valued at $27bn. The airline took delivery of seven MAX planes in the last year.

“Flydubai went through a rigorous process to identify the right aircraft that met the requirements of our operations. The introduction to our fleet of a new model of aircraft is regulated by the FAA. This is also approved by the relevant authorities and regulators. The aviation sector is highly regulated and flydubai rigorously adheres to all regulations,” the spokesperson said.

“The safety of our passengers and crew is our first priority.”

Read: Ethiopian Airlines flight to Nairobi crashes killing all 157 people onboard

Following the Ethiopian Airlines accident on Sunday, China’s aviation regulator ordered its airlines to ground all of the country’s Boeing MAX jets in operation.

Cayman Airways and Ethiopian Airlines also announced that they have grounded their 737 MAX 8 jets.

Boeing has said it is helping in the investigation of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 crash.

Updated Statement on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302: https://t.co/0jyiFuGHIE pic.twitter.com/Unl92SYykI

— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) March 10, 2019

A Boeing MAX jet operated by Indonesia’s Lion Air also crashed into sea shortly after take-off in October, killing all the 189 people on board.