The Boeing 737 Max aircraft will remain grounded for now in Canada despite Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clearance. The FAA ungrounded the Max after 20 months on November 18, 2020.
In a statement, Transport Canada said:
“The commercial flight restrictions for the operation of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in Canadian airspace remain in effect and will not be lifted until the department is fully satisfied that all its safety concerns have been addressed, and that enhanced flight crew procedures and training are in place in Canada.”
Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau said that Canada will impose its own conditions on the aircraft prior to the return of the aircraft in service.
“We acknowledge that the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released an Airworthiness Directive for the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Transport Canada safety experts continue their independent validation process to determine whether to approve the proposed changes to the aircraft.”
Air Canada, WestJet, and Sunwing Airlines are the Boeing 737 Max operators in Canada. Air Canada has already reduced it’s Boeing 737 Max order by 11 aircraft.