Boeing must act quickly to save the 737 as airlines ground planes in wake of Ethiopian Airlines crash, says GlobalData

The fatal crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on 10th March 2019 has cast fresh doubt on Boeing’s 737 jet. Nick Wyatt, Head of R&A, Travel & Tourism at GlobalData, offers his view:

“The Ethiopian Airlines tragedy is the second high-profile fatal crash involving the new 737 family after the Lion Air crash in October last year. This has spooked airlines and some aviation authorities and led to grounding that could seriously jeopardize future orders.

“Over 20 airlines have broken long-standing air safety practice in grounding aircraft and this is very troubling for Boeing.

“The 737 Max range is the fastest selling jet in the company’s history. There are around 5,000 firm orders to be delivered and they are central to Boeing’s future success.

“It’s crucial to highlight that there is currently no hard evidence that there is any issue with the 737 Max series, but concerns over the airworthiness of the model are growing.

“Boeing must act quickly to identify whether there is indeed a technical issue and if there is, fix it swiftly to avoid a potential rash of cancelled orders that will play into the hands of its closest competitors.”