People attended the ceremony of Boeing 737 Max delivery to Air China on December 15, 2018. (Xinhua)

China’s Top Airlines Demand Compensation Over Boeing 737 Max

After two deadly crashes involving the US-made aircraft, China was the first country to take Boeing’s 737 Max jets out of service. The crashes experienced by Ethiopia Airlines and Lion Air that killed hundreds of people has urged China’s top airlines, including Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern to demand compensation from the planemaker company, the BBC reported.

The payout claims were not only intended to compensate the grounding of the fleet but also for the delayed deliveries of 737 Max jets. Quoted from another source, spokesman for China Southern confirmed that the losses suffered by the company since the grounding on March 11, 2019, caused relatively big economic losses and would continue to expand as the time passing by.

The demand for compensation from China’s airlines comes ahead of a closely watched aviation regulators summit in Texas today (5/23). The meeting will involve 57 agencies from 33 countries, including China, Germany, French, UK, and also EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency).

To date, Boeing is still unsure if the planes are already safety to be back in the air before the end of the critical summer travel season. Regarding this, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is due to provide updates on review of Boeing’s software fix and new pilot training.