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First Canadian Carrier, Sunwing Suspends Flying of Boeing 737-8 Max

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Posted By: Trevor Kucheran

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UPDATE: Canada and the United States have now fully grounded the 737 Max airplanes. The planes are prohibited from operating within or entering the airspace of both countries. The move to ban the aircrafts came to light after new evidence was found showing the planes crashed in very similar ways. 

The first Canadian carrier Sunwing has grounded its 737-8 Max airplanes. The company insists its four planes were not grounded due to safety reasons. Instead the carrier said it has halted the planes from operation due to airspace restrictions imposed by their partner destinations. Many countries have imposed nationwide bans on operating the aircraft after the second tragic crash in 6 months killed 157 people.  The first crash happened in Indonesia when a Lion Air flight went down and killed 189 people. 

“For evolving commercial reasons unrelated to safety, including airspace restrictions being imposed by some of our partner destinations, Sunwing Airlines has taken the decision to temporarily suspend the operations of our four Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft,”

Sunwing is the first Canadian carrier to ground the 737-8 Max

Canada has stood firm by not imposing any restrictions on the Boeing 787 Max. Sunwing made the decision to ground the planes on its own accord. WestJet currently has 13 and Air Canada has 24 still in full operation. Canada and the United States are going against the grain while many countries have banned the aircraft from their airspace and airlines have grounded their fleets for safety. 

westjet plane taking off
The Controversial 737 Max

Countries That Have Banned the 737 Max

  • Australia
  • China
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Mongolia
  • Oman
  • Singapore
  • South Korea
  • United Kingdom
  • Austria
  • Beligum
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Ireland
  • Hungary
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Nerthlands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Czechia
  • India
  • Kuwait
  • New Zealand 
  • Hong Kong

Airlines That Have Grounded The 787 Max

  • Aerolineas Argentinas
  • Aeromexico
  • Cayman Airways
  • Comair
  • Ethiopian
  • Gol
  • Royal Air Maroc
  • Russia S7 Airlines
  •  Iceland Air
  •  Fiji Airways
  • Fly Dubai

Boeing Makes Statement Following Bans and Groundings

As carriers and countries across the globe take action against the 787 Max aircraft, Boeing maintains a firm position citing the plane as safe. 

Safety is Boeing’s number one priority and we have full confidence in the safety of the 737 MAX. We understand that regulatory agencies and customers have made decisions that they believe are most appropriate for their home markets. We’ll continue to engage with them to ensure they have the information needed to have confidence in operating their fleets. The United States Federal Aviation Administration is not mandating any further action at this time, and based on the information currently available, we do not have any basis to issue new guidance to operators.

Would You Fly on The 737 Max?

People are nervous to get on the 737 Max planes for good reason. Two separate crashes in only 6 months have killed a total of 346 passengers. While plane crashes may be rare, two crashes involving the exact brand of plane in a similar fashion may not be a coincidence. Would you you still fly on the 737 Max?