Last October, a 737 MAX 8 operated by Indonesian carrier Lion Air fell into the Java Sea just shortly after takeoff, taking all 189 lives on board. Ethiopia, China and Indonesia were among the countries that were quick to ground Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes with regard to safety concerns.
In the meantime, airlines followed suit like Ethiopian Airlines and Cayman Airways. Flight attendants and members of the public took to Twitter to voice their concerns or request to change flights involving Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes.
@SouthwestAir Just read that you have more of the 737 Max 8 planes in your fleet than any other airline. Are you taking them out of operation based upon the Ethiopian and Indonesian tragedies? Please say YES! #airlinesafety #EthiopianAirlinesCrash
— Del Boyette (@Del_Boyette) March 11, 2019
.@AmericanAir I called & was told waivers are not available as I have a non-refundable fare as do the majority of passengers. This is NOT ACCEPTABLE esp. when some airlines are grounding the 737 Max 8 due to safety concerns. This is a American Airlines customer service failure. https://t.co/ifMmPpJHdp
— Sandy (@nycsandygirl) March 11, 2019
Hey @united, I’m flying 737-800 this month with you. Do you make a distinction between that and the MAX on your tickets/flight info? I wouldn’t feel comfortable on a MAX of any kind (the issues could be the same across the 7,8,9). I know you fly the MAX-9. https://t.co/Nbr6IAyRkw
— Jeremy Faust MD MS (@jeremyfaust) March 11, 2019
“Safety is our number one priority and we are taking every measure to fully understand all aspects of this accident, working closely with the investigating team and all regulatory authorities involved,” Boeing said in a statement. “The investigation is in its early stages, but at this point, based on the information available, we do not have any basis to issue new guidance to operators.”
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