RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, July 9 (NNN-SPA) – Saudi Arabian budget carrier, Flyadeal, has withdrawn a preliminary agreement for an order of up to 50 Boeing’s grounded 737 MAX jets, U.S. top aircraft manufacturer, Boeing Company said.
The Saudi carrier said in a statement that, it would operate only Airbus planes in the future, the German news agency dpa reported.
“We understand that Flyadeal will not finalise its commitment to the 737 MAX at this time, given the airline’s schedule requirements,” a Boeing spokesman was quoted as saying.
According to its website, Flyadeal, which was launched in Sept, 2017, now operates a fleet of 11 Airbus A320 aircraft, to domestic destinations across the kingdom.
The 737 MAX has been grounded across the world since March this year, after two of its models crashed in two separate, deadly disasters, in Indonesia and in Ethiopia, last Oct and this March, respectively, with a total of 346 deaths.
Critics have blamed Boeing for rushing to build the 737 MAX aircraft, and failing to fully disclose potential problems with the 737 MAX flight control software.– NNN-SPA
