Saudi ban on Boeing MAX flights to continue for near future: minister

Saudi Arabia has no immediate plans to allow Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to operate in the kingdom, its transport minister said on Monday, as state airline flyadeal potentially reconsiders an order for the jets. “There were no 737 MAX flying in the kingdom at the time and there aren’t plans for them to be back in the near future,” minister Nabeel al-Amudi said. Budget carrier flyadeal has said its waiting until investigations into the two crashes are completed before deciding if it proceeds with an order for 30 MAX jets. The order, which includes purchasing operations for 20 more of the same aircraft, is worth $5.9b at list prices, according to Boeing. Saudi Arabia will follow the global aviation industry in any recertification of the MAX, Amudi said.<br/>