Ethiopian Airlines CEO wary of 737 Max return despite ‘good’ ties with Boeing

The head of Ethiopian Airlines Group said the carrier is on decent terms with Boeing, yet remains cautious about flying the 737 Max almost one year after the fatal crash that led to the jet’s global grounding. “We both discussed and agreed that the relationship should continue and we have a good relationship,” CEO Tewolde GebreMariam said. “But at the same time, the Max has a problem. We have to be convinced beyond reasonable doubt that this airplane is good to fly.” The crash on March 10 last year killed 157 people less than five months after a similarly deadly incident involving the same model in Indonesia. “It has taken a very long toll on the airline, on all of us,” Tewolde said. “It has consumed a lot of emotions and energy. It was very shocking but we were very strong.” Ethiopian has seen a 20% decline in passenger traffic due to fears surrounding the spread of the coronavirus, the CEO said. <br/>