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The airline operating Jersey's route to Tenerife has changed its aircraft after the safety of the Boeing 737 Max was thrown into doubt following the deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash.
Aviation authorities across the globe have been ordering the grounding of the plane after the Ethiopian flight provider's plane crashed minutes after taking off, killing all 157 people on board.
It was the second disaster in less than six months involving the Boeing 737 Max. In October 189 people lost their lives after one operated by Lion Air crashed in the Java Sea near Indonesia.
The same aircraft has been used to operate Jersey's 'FlyDirect' route to Tenerife each Monday through airline Smartwings.
Pictured: The FlyDirect route from Jersey to Tenerife is scheduled through to 29 April.
However, CI Travel Group, who are responsible for the route, announced today that the plane would be changing from next Monday onwards.
Managing Director Robert Mackenzie commented: "Following the tragic events in Ethiopia over the weekend, we are aware that the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft type currently operated by Smartwings for the FlyDirect Tenerife programme has been stopped from operating within UK airspace by the CAA.
"We are in contact with Smartwings regarding the operation of the programme and they have confirmed that flights from next Monday onwards will be operated as planned, with an alternative aircraft type."
He added: "The safety and wellbeing of our customers remains our primary concern."
Statement: Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft.
— UK Civil Aviation Authority (@UK_CAA) March 12, 2019
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has issued instructions to stop any commercial passenger flights from any operator arriving, departing or overflying UK airspace.
You can read the full update online: https://t.co/xa1BUR7wJk pic.twitter.com/AsmhLElF0K
Following CI Travel's announcement, Director of Civil Aviation for Jersey and Guernsey has since banned the aircraft from entering the skies over the islands.
In a letter, Dominic Lazarus wrote: "All Boeing 737 Max types are prohibited from entering the Channel Islands Control Zone with immediate effect until further evidence is available from investigation as to the cause of the Ethiopian Airlines incident."
Other government and aviation authorities that have stopped the Boeing 737 Max from flying include: the UK Civil Aviation Authority, France, Germany, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Australia.
Pictured: The Director of Civil Aviation for the Channel Islands banned the aircraft from entering the islands' airspace.
Meanwhile, the US Federal Aviation Administration has issued a "continued airworthiness notification", meaning that airlines are still allowed to operate the aircraft. However, it demanded design changes from the manufacturer.
Boeing said that, since the Lion Air tragedy, it had been working on improving its flight control software - a change that should be completed within weeks.
Pictured: The type of aircraft – a Boeing 737 Max – that will no longer be used to fly to Tenerife from Jersey. (Acefitt/Wiki)
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