Despite global criticism trailing the crash of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in the fleet of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines, Chairman, Air Peace, Allen Onyema said on Wednesday that the carrier had no regrets placing order for the aircraft type.
Onyema said the airline took the steps to order the airplanes in response to the yearnings of Nigerians desiring to fly new airplanes.
Onyema said it was unfortunate that Nigerians were criticising Air Peace for ordering 10 aircraft of similar models.
He said: “When we placed a firm order for the 10 brand new B737-Max 800, it was the toast of the global aviation industry.
“We were only responding to the yearnings that Nigeria airlines should be flying modern planes.
“It is unfortunate that Air Peace is being criticised for an aircraft that will not be delivered until 2023.
“We believe it is the work of our detractors, but we will not be deterred,” he said.
The US government has ordered a review of the way Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft got its licence to fly.
It comes after two crashes in five months, amid suggestions from experts that there were “clear similarities” between the disasters.
Transport secretary Elaine Chao has asked the US inspector general to audit the aircraft’s certification process.
One focus of crash investigators has been the Max’s anti-stall system, which Boeing says needs a software update.
In a memo to inspector general Calvin Scovel, Ms Chao said she wanted the review in order to “assist the Federal Aviation Administration [the regulator] in ensuring that its safety procedures are implemented effectively”.
After the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft last week – which followed a Lion Air disaster in October – there were questions about why the FAA took so long to ground the 737 Max.
Meanwhile, Europe and Canada said they would seek their own assurances over the safety of the aircraft, a move likely to complicate plans to get the aircraft flying again across the world.
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