Ethiopian Airlines resumes the Boeing 737 MAX operation after nearly three years’ absence. The first flight took place on 1st February.
The aircraft was grounded after the fatal crash in March 2019 that killed 157 passengers and crew members on an Ethiopian flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi. Another Boeing 737 MAX had crashed in Indonesia five months earlier.
“We have taken enough time to monitor the design modification work and the more than 20 months of rigorous rectification process … our pilots, engineers, aircraft technicians, cabin crew are confident of the safety of the fleet,” said Ethiopian CEO Tewolde Gebremariam.
Journalists, diplomats and officials were on board the first that took off on Tuesday. Although the aircraft was scheduled to reach neighbouring Kenya, it remained within Ethiopia due to poor weather, as reported by officials on board.
Ethiopian Airlines, the largest and the leading Aviation Group, has returned its B737 MAX back to the skies today with the airline’s Board Chairman and Executives, Boeing Executives, Ministers, Ambassadors, government officials, journalists and customers onboard the first flight. pic.twitter.com/4phc0rgW6N
— Ethiopian Airlines (@flyethiopian) February 1, 2022
Commenting on this demo flight, acting Chief Executive Officer Esayas Woldemariam said:
“We made sure everything is in order, now we are doing…a demo flight, so to speak. It is after this that we are availing it to commercial aviation.”