Vietnam mulls lifting 737 Max flight ban

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) is proposing to lift the operational ban on the Boeing 737 Max, and expects China and Indonesia — two key markets in Asia-Pacific where the type is still grounded — to do the same by end-September. In a 20 September notice, the CAAV says it has written in to the country’s transport ministry to allow it to “carry out the necessary procedures” to recertify the type. The agency did not provide any timeline. Vietnam in April allowed overflight of the 737 Max, a month after the CAAV first submitted a proposal to the government. While no Vietnamese operators currently operate the type, low-cost carrier VietJet has a significant 737 Max orderbook — Cirium fleets data shows it has 200 examples on order. In its latest announcement, the CAAV says it is continuing to work with Boeing representatives to get the aircraft back into operation. It notes the evaluations carried out by safety regulators in other regions, as well as the operational performance of the type since its return to service. If Vietnam lifts the grounding of the 737 Max, it will be the third Southeast Asian nation, after Malaysia and Singapore, to do so.<br/>