Investigators from the Netherlands have defended their inquiry into a Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 crash near Amsterdam, after suggestions that the final report into the accident was watered-down in response to US remarks. The Dutch Safety Board, in its response, has published in full a human-factors analysis which contributed to the investigation and which, in particular, had highlighted concerns over a single-point failure path in the 737’s radio altimeter. In a Jan 20 article, The New York Times argued that the decision not to publish the human-factors analysis into the Turkish crash – combined with the incorporation of US representatives’ remarks to the draft report – effectively deflected criticism of crucial aspects of Boeing’s design choices a decade before the Max accidents. <br/>
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United Airlines reported higher profit in the latest quarter on stronger revenue and lower fuel costs, despite challenges from the grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX. United’s Q4 net profit rose to UIS$641m, or $2.53 a share, from $461m, or $1.69 a share a year earlier. Excluding one-time charges, United’s adjusted earnings were $2.67 a share, 2 cents ahead of the $2.65 consensus among analysts polled by FactSet. Revenue climbed 3.8% from the year earlier period to $10.89b. The carrier has cut flights of 737 MAX aircraft from its schedules until June. United has 14 of the jets and was due to receive another 16 this year. Boeing said Tuesday it would further delay its timetable for returning the 737 MAX to commercial service, adding that it doesn’t expect regulators to clear its return until at least the middle of the year. <br/>
South African Airways has cancelled a number of domestic and international flights over the coming week, to preserve finances, just a day after insisting that operations to all destinations were continuing as normal. The carrier says that, as part of a “responsible strategy to conserve cash”, it is cancelling several domestic flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town and Durban between Jan 20-24, and is “working closely” with sister airline Mango to “reaccommodate passengers” on alternative services. SAA has also cancelled some international flights from Johannesburg to Munich between Jan 20-25. “These decisions are in line with SAA’s usual policy of reviewing flights and consolidating services with low demand,” says the airline, which is undergoing a restructuring programme. <br/>