Flights cancelled after regulator grounds Boeing 737 Max 9s following Oregon mid-flight blowout, thousands of passengers affected

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the USA  on Saturday ordered the temporary grounding of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft operated by U.S. airlines or in U.S. territory.

“The FAA is requiring immediate inspections of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes before they can return to flight,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said. “Safety will continue to drive our decision-making as we assist the NTSB’s investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.”

FAA said the Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) requires operators to inspect affected aircraft before further flight.

"The required inspections will take around four to eight hours per aircraft," the statement said.

FAA said the EAD will affect approximately 171 aeroplanes worldwide.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is following the FAA approach, but flight disruptions on the continent are expected to be minimal, reported BBC.

EASA said it believes no European airlines operate Max 9s with the configuration covered by the FAA order, the British media reported.

British regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), meanwhile, said the impact on UK-operated aircraft and consumers is minimal.

"Following @FAANews' EAD, we can confirm there are no UK-registered 737 MAX 9 aircraft. The impact on UK-operated aircraft and consumers is minimal,"
UK Civil Aviation Authority posted on X.

Oregon mid-flight blowout

A passenger airline made an emergency landing in the US state of Oregon on Friday (January 5, 2023) after a section of its fuselage blew open mid-air.

The Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 returned to Portland 35 minutes into its flight to California after an outer section, including a window, fell, reported BBC.

The airline major said the aircraft landed safely back at Portland International Airport with 171 guests and 6 crew members.