US grounds Boeing 737 Max 9 planes: How Australia will be affected

The grounding of 200 near-new planes in the US for immediate inspection has led to questions about how Aussie airlines will react. Here is what you need to know.

With nearly 200 Boeing 737 Max jets temporarily grounded as urgent inspections are completed, fresh concerns have been raised about airline safety issues and the possible impact on Australian airlines.

The grounding of the jets comes after a harrowing incident during an Alaska flight on a 737 Max 9 aircraft when he door panel blew out and left a gaping hole while the plane was 4876m in the air.

Footage of the shocking ordeal shows a large section of the plane’s outer shell fall to the ground shortly after take-off, air rushing through the cabin, oxygen masks dangling and travellers observing city lights below them through the opening.

It prompted Alaska and United, two of the biggest users of the jets, to cancel dozens of flights within the US but the airlines said inspections ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration had already been completed for some of their planes.

The FAA is requiring immediate inspections of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes before they can return to flight.

Safety will continue to drive our decision-making as we assist the @NTSB’s investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282. - @FAA_Mikepic.twitter.com/YsuQimg2pq

— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) January 6, 2024

And while no one was seriously injured in the incident, it has raised not only safety questions about the plane, but what the implications it was for similar models.

Just hours after the incident, budget Australian carrier Bonza released a statement seeking to distance itself from the saga – despite not even operating the Max 9.

“We have received assurance from Boeing that there is no impact to our fleet,” a Bonza spokesperson said.

So how will this impact Australian skies?

DO ANY AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES FLY THE MAX 9?

Australian airlines at this point do not have or plan to buy a Max 9 aircraft, nor do any international carriers fly the single-aisle plane designed for short- and medium-haul flights on domestic routes.

However, Virgin Australia and Bonza operate the Max 8 aircraft, a slightly shorter version of the Max 9.

Both airlines had confirmed their Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft was checked after Boeing recommended that all 737 Max aeroplanes undergo safety inspections.

Virgin Australia’s three Max aircraft were inspected ahead of Boeing’s recommended time frame without causing any interruption to services and there were no findings.

Virgin has a number of Max 10 aircraft on order from Boeing, but it isn’t clear yet if the latest setback will lead to delays on the Max 10, which entered proper testing stages just weeks ago.

A Boeing 737 passengers aircraft of Alaska Airlines. Picture: AFP

WILL IT IMPACT AUSTRALIA IN THE FUTURE?

Australia’s regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), will oversee any developments from overseas and whether the issue is isolated to just the Alaskan plane or the broader Max 9 model.

If investigators find issues with the door beyond that one aircraft from last Friday, it could affect Virgin Australia who has ordered 25 Max 10s.

CASA would likely take action if US regulators make adverse findings about the Max fleet.

Meanwhile, Bonza’s approval by CASA to fly in Australia and with crew from Canada is only a three-month agreement and will expire in March.

However, the budget carrier says it plans to recruit and train Australian staff before then but the long-term plan for the use of the leased planes is still unclear.

WHAT FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED?

Alaska airlines have said flight disruptions are expected to last into next week, after cancelling 160 flights on Saturday.

United Airlines has grounded 79 planes.

The bulk of disruptions are affecting flights mainly in the US.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is following the FAA approach, but flight disruptions on the continent are expected to be minimal.

EASA said it believes no European airlines operate Max 9s with the configuration covered by the FAA order.

One of the world’s largest airports, London Heathrow, said there was no impact on flights.

Other airlines which also fly the planes have temporarily taken them out of service.

Flights are still being cancelled following a midair fuselage door plug blowout on one of their Boeing 737 Max 9 aeroplanes. Picture: AFP

HAVING BOEING MAX PLANES FACED OTHER ISSUES?

Since the Boeing’s 737 Max generation of aircraft took to the skies in 2017, it has faced a number of controversies and safety issues.

In 2019, Boeing recommended the grounding of its entire 737 MAX fleet after fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia involving a Max 8 aircraft.

All Max aircraft were grounded for two years across the world as a result of the deadly crashes which killed hundreds of people.

Boeing was hit with US$2.5bn (A$3.7bn) in fines and compensation, and is estimated to have lost tens of billions more in lost orders for planes.

Originally published as US grounds Boeing 737 Max 9 planes: How Australia will be affected