International alert triggers safety checks on Boeing 737 Max fleet by Indian airlines

New Delhi, Jan 1

An international advisory alerting to a potential safety concern related to loose bolts has been issued for the worldwide Boeing 737 Max passenger aircraft fleet.

This has prompted at least three airline operators in India -- Akasa Air, Air India Express, and SpiceJet -- to conduct immediate checks on their 737 Max aeroplanes.

The urgent advisory comes on the heels of an undisclosed international airline's routine maintenance check, during which a bolt with a missing nut was discovered.

Subsequent inspections also revealed another aircraft within the fleet that had been undelivered, with an improperly tightened nut.

Boeing swiftly responded to the situation, assuring the public that the issue identified on the particular aeroplane had been rectified.

In a statement, the company said: "Out of an abundance of caution, we are recommending operators inspect their 737 Max aeroplanes and inform us of any findings."

The concern has garnered attention from aviation authorities globally, with the US Federation of Aviation Administration (FAA) joining in the safety measures. The FAA has specifically instructed airlines to check for the possible presence of a loose bolt within the rudder control system.

Addressing the matter, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India highlighted that such issues are not unprecedented, and Boeing routinely issues service bulletins to airline operators regarding suggested actions when any potential problem arises.

"This has been an ongoing issue with the Max 737, and these are service bulletins issued from time to time by Boeing to the airline operators for the suggested action whenever any issue comes across," said the DGCA in a statement.

"We have been in touch with Boeing, FAA, and our airline operators in the past too on such issues concerning 737 Max. In such cases, mitigation as recommended by the Original Equipment Manufacturers is carried out by the airline operator, as has been done in the past in respect of 737 Max."