The United Kingdom banned the Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet from its airspace Tuesday, joining a long list of countries that have halted use of the model now under increased scrutiny.
The move comes after Sunday’s plane crash in Ethiopia that killed all 157 people on board. It was the second fatal crash of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in less than six months.
The United Kingdom Aviation Authority issued a statement Tuesday that it has halted use of the passenger jetliner “until further notice.”
“The UK Civil Aviation Authority has been closely monitoring the situation, however, as we do not currently have sufficient information from the flight data recorder we have, as a precautionary measure, issued instructions to stop any commercial passenger flights from any operator arriving, departing or overflying UK airspace,” the statement reads.
Despite the international blowback, the Federal Aviation Administration stood by the aircraft, saying it has “full confidence in the safety of the MAX.”
Boeing released a statement on the matter, noting that it would be working with airlines and governments to restart operation of the jet.
“We understand that regulatory agencies and customers have made decisions that they believe are most appropriate for their home markets,” Boeing said in a statement. “We’ll continue to engage with all of them to ensure they have all the information they need to have the confidence they need safely continue to operate their fleets or return them to service.”
U.S. political figures weighed in on the matter Tuesday. President Trump tweeted that modern jets are “becoming far too complex to fly.”
“Airplanes are becoming far too complex to fly. Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT. I see it all the time in many products. Always seeking to go one unnecessary step further, when often old and simpler is far better,” the president tweeted.
Airplanes are becoming far too complex to fly. Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT. I see it all the time in many products. Always seeking to go one unnecessary step further, when often old and simpler is far better. Split second decisions are….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 12, 2019
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, tweeted that the FAA should disallow use of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 until it could ensure the safety of the plane. “Out of an abundance of caution for the flying public, the @FAANews should ground the 737 MAX 8 until we investigate the causes of recent crashes and ensure the plane’s airworthiness,” the senator tweeted.
Out of an abundance of caution for the flying public, the @FAANews should ground the 737 MAX 8 until we investigate the causes of recent crashes and ensure the plane’s airworthiness.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 12, 2019
On the other side of the aisle, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called for the grounding of all 737 MAX 8 planes.
In addition to the U.K., Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, and China have banned flights. Airlines in a number of other countries have done the same. There are more than 370 of the jets in use across the globe.
