New Delhi, The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reassured the public today that satisfactory checks have been conducted on Boeing B737-8 Max aircraft operated by Air India Express (4), SpiceJet (8), and Akasa (20). This comes in response to global safety concerns after a recent incident where the door plug of an Alaska Airlines flight blew off post-takeoff.
The alarming incident on an Alaska Airlines flight, where the door plug detached after takeoff from Portland, led to the grounding of all Boeing 737 Max-9 aircraft by Alaska Air, causing global concerns. The 737 MAX series had faced a 20-month worldwide grounding following two crashes in 2018 and 2019.
As a precautionary measure, DGCA had instructed airlines on Saturday to conduct immediate inspections of emergency exits on their Boeing 737 Max-8 aircraft. It is essential to note that Indian air operators do not have Boeing 737-9 Max in their fleets. The DGCA emphasized a one-time inspection of emergency exits on all Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft.
An Akasa Air spokesperson stated that a comprehensive inspection of their entire fleet of Boeing 737 Max aircraft was conducted, with no adverse findings. Similarly, SpiceJet reported no adverse findings during their inspection, emphasizing that their operations remained unaffected.
Boeing had recently issued a directive to carriers for inspecting all B737 Max aircraft after a missing nut was discovered during routine maintenance by an international operator.
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MakeMyTrip Records Surge in Lakshadweep Searches Following PM Modi’s Visit
New Delhi, MakeMyTrip, the online travel company, reported a significant surge of 3400% in on-platform searches for Lakshadweep following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the union territory. The surge in interest prompted MakeMyTrip to launch the ‘Beaches of India’ campaign, offering various discounts and encouraging travelers to explore beaches across the country.
The company highlighted the tremendous response, indicating heightened interest in Indian beaches and showcasing the impact of PM Modi’s visit on travel trends.
