JAKARTA, March 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Indonesia’s national carrier Garuda is cancelling a multi-billion-dollar order for 49 Boeing 737 Max 8 planes after two fatal crashes involving the plane, the company said, in what is thought to be the first formal cancellation for the model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We have sent a letter to Boeing requesting that the order be cancelled,” said Garuda spokesman Ikhsan Rosan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Garuda passengers in Indonesia have “lost trust and no longer have the confidence” in the plane, he said, adding that the airline was awaiting a response from Boeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Garuda had already received one of the 737 MAX 8 planes, he said, part of a 50-plane order worth US$4.9 billion at list prices when it was announced in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Garuda is also talking to Boeing about whether or not to return the plane it has received, the spokesman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The carrier had so far paid Boeing about US$26 million, while Garuda’s chief told Indonesian media outlet Detik that it would consider switching to a new version of the single-aisle jet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“In principle, it’s not that we want to replace Boeing, but maybe we will replace (these planes) with another model,” Garuda Indonesia director I Gusti Ngurah Askhara Danadiputra told Detik.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This month, Indonesia’s Lion Air said it was postponing taking delivery of four new Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets after an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 went down<\/a>minutes into a flight to Nairobi, killing all 157 people on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n