Fiji Airways set to return 737 Max to service

Fiji Airways is set to be the first Asia-Pacific carrier to return the Boeing 737 Max into service, after Fijian civil aviation authorities lifted the grounding of the narrowbody. The Nadi-based carrier did not disclose a timeline for the type’s service re-entry, except to say that it is continuing to work with regulators “to bring the Max aircraft into service, albeit for the limited number of freight and repatriation flights we currently operate”. The Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji’s move to lift the flight ban on the 737 Max follows similar moves by its counterparts in Australia and New Zealand. In late February, Australia was the first country in the region to lift the flight ban on the 737 Max. Days later, New Zealand authorities said they supported the lifting of the type’s grounding, but stopped short of issuing a blanket approval for the 737 Max. The aircraft remains grounded in most parts of the region, following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.<br/>