Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks posed by the Boeing 737 Max-8 airplane flying in UK airspace.

The Department for Transport and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have been closely monitoring the potential safety risk posed by the Boeing 737 Max-8 aircraft flying in UK airspace following the recent tragic Ethiopian Airlines accident. As a precautionary measure, on 12 March the CAA, as the UK’s independent safety regulator, issued instructions to stop any Boeing 737 Max commercial passenger flights arriving, departing or overflying UK airspace until further notice.

Following the CAA’s Directive, the European Aviation Safety Agency published an Airworthiness Directive suspending all commercial operations of all Boeing 737MAX aircraft to, from and within Europe.

The CAA are in close contact with affected airlines to minimise any disruption to travelling public.