The fatal crash of Lion Air Flight 610 last year was caused by systemic design flaws in the Boeing 737 Max that were compounded by flight crew lapses, Indonesian investigators told the relatives of victims Wednesday. Investigators from the Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee briefed family members on their findings about the crash ahead of the release of the final accident report, which is expected within days. A synopsis of the report, presented in slide-show format to victims’ relatives, put the bulk of the blame on Boeing for introducing an automated system in the Max without adequately briefing airlines and their crews about its existence or instructing them how to override the software should it malfunction. It also pointed to maintenance issues on the Lion Air plane. <br/>
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SpiceJet announced plans Wednesday to build its first international hub in the UAE, offering support to embattled Boeing by saying it would use now-grounded 737 Max aircraft in the operation, once regulators approve the planes for flight. The hub would be in Ras al-Khaimah, the UAE's northern-most sheikhdom, with SpiceJet chairman and MD Ajay Singh saying the airline would use it to extend its range as far as Western Europe. SpiceJet flights between New Delhi and Ras al-Khaimah should begin in December, Singh said. For Ras al-Khaimah, whose small airport pales in comparison to Dubai International, the world's busiest for international travel, it is an opportunity to try and bring more tourists to its burnt-orange sand dunes. However, previous attempts to reinvigorate the airport have failed to take off. <br/>
Spirit Airlines is close to agreeing a provisional deal to order as many as 100 single-aisle aircraft worth up to US$12b at recent catalogue prices from Airbus, industry sources said. Such a deal would be the first for Airbus since the US imposed 10% tariffs on some of the planes it offers to US carriers last week, part of a long-running transatlantic trade dispute over aircraft subsidies. A deal of that size would be worth up to $12b at the most recent 2018 Airbus list prices, but industry sources say such deals typically involve discounts of at least 50%. In August, the airline said it was looking at both the Airbus single-aisle A321neo jet or a Boeing alternative to fuel its growth. Spirit currently operates an all-Airbus fleet of 140 jets. <br/>