As Boeing Works On
737 MAX Planes, India Not Yet Ready To Certify Jets
Boeing has begun
working on five ex-Jet Airways 737 MAXs in preparation for them to fly once
again. The aircraft will return to lessors or new customers in the coming
months; however, there is a hurdle. India is yet to recertify the MAX and
has not allowed the aircraft to fly again, also forcing SpiceJet’s 13 jets
to stay on the ground.
Return to service
According to a
report from the Times of India, Boeing technicians have arrived in India to
return five 737 MAXs to flying conditions. The aircraft belonged to Jet
Airways but were later taken back by lessors due to unpaid due after the
airline went bankrupt in April 2019. However, the MAX’s grounding meant
that were no new airlines taking on the jet in the short run, leaving the
planes in India.
Now that the MAX
is back in service in a dozen countries around the world, lessors are
looking to take back their planes. Data from Planespotters.net shows that
four of the planes belong to GECAS and one is owned by SMBC Aviation
Capital. Registrations VT-JXA through -JXE will return to lessors
Boeing teams will
bring the aircraft out of deep storage, conduct maintenance checks, and
prepare the plane for flight. Moreover, the teams will make the needed
software and hardware changes to the aircraft needed after its
recertification.
India not ready
yet
While the lessors
can request special permission to ferry their 737 MAXs out of India (as has
happened in the past), the country is not ready to recertify the jet just
yet. According to Business Standard, the DGCA (India’s aviation regulator)
is actively monitoring global 737 MAX flights and making an assessment for
recertification.
In a statement,
DGCA Direct General Arun Kumar said,
“We are getting
weekly updates on the performance of the aircraft…Even though, FAA and EASA
have approved the return of the aircraft. We will conduct our own due
diligence.”
SpiceJet’s woes
The lack of
recertification means that SpiceJet has not called for Boeing technicians
for key maintenance. Moreover, the airline is also locked in a legal battle
with lessors since it has not paid leases on the MAX since its grounding.
SpiceJet had
previously hoped to have the 737 MAX back in the sky by April, which seems
unlikely now. The airline operates a fleet of 13 MAXs and struggled in 2019
following the grounding, forcing it to scale back capacity.
However,
considering that international flights remain largely on the ground,
SpiceJet may have ample capacity for now. The airline is now looking to
expand in the domestic market instead, adding dozens of new routes. Once
the MAX is back in India, expect deliveries and flights to quickly rise.
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