Polish Airspace Closed for Boeing 737 Max 8

Polish authorities decided to close the Polish airspace to all Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, following the plane crash of Ethiopian Airlines that took place on 10 March in which 157 people died, including two Poles.

Following the tragic event, EU Aviation Safety Agency issued a statement saying they suspend all flight operations of all Boeing 737-8 MAX and 737-9 MAX aeroplanes in Europe, as a precautionary measure. The list of countries that decided to close their skies for Boeing already includes China, India and Australia, and keeps expanding.

Investigation into the crash is under way. It is not yet clear what caused the disaster. The Boeing aircrafts are grounded temporarily and only as a precaution, as the investigators revealed no proofs indicating that the Ethiopian Airlines plane crashed due to a mechanical failure. The aircraft hit the ground not long after the takeoff from Addis Ababa.

Boeings 737-8 MAX are part of the fleet of Polish Airlines (LOT). The national carrier decided to ground all of its five aircrafts until further notice taking the lead of air agencies from around the world. The company announced that scheduled flights will take place but with different type of planes. LOT predicts minor disturbances because of the situation.

After the news of the plane crash in Ethiopia broke out, Boeing share price dropped by 70 dollars. A few months ago, a similar accident took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, which raises concerns over the performance and safety of the Boeing flight systems.  It should be noted that the Max is the fastest selling plane type in the history of Boeing. The model has been in service since 2017. There are approximately 370 such aircrafts operated by various carriers around the globe.

The President of Poland offered his condolences to the victims’ families. Polish consulate authorities assure they are making all they can to assist the families in this difficult time.