Saudi Arabia on Monday cleared the way for the Boeing 737 Max to resume operations in its airspace after a ban lasting nearly two years.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced that the aircraft will be allowed to return to service from and to the kingdom after completing all necessary tests by the US Federal Aviation Administration, the European Aviation Safety Agency and other civil aviation authorities around the world.
GACA said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency that national carriers do not operate the Max model but several foreign airlines operate flights to and from Saudi airports, and several flights cross their airspace with the same model. It did not give a specific date for the resumption in 737 Max flights.
GACA confirmed that the lifting of the temporary suspension came after close coordination with the international civil aviation community regarding changes, licensing and training to ensure the highest level of safety.
GACA has published a navigational notice (NOTAM) allowing the Max to return to service.
The Saudi announcement follows a similar one in the UAE last month.
The UAE’s aviation regulator, the General Civil Aviation Authority, said local airlines must first provide a plan for bringing the plane back safely, and develop a strategy to address differences between requirements set by US and European regulators.
Clearance in the UAE is important for Boeing because the country serves as an international air-travel crossroads via hub airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Flydubai has idled 14 Boeing Max jets it had in March 2019, when the model was grounded worldwide in the wake of a second deadly crash in five months.
Airlines in the US and Brazil began to restart commercial flights with the Max late last year, after regulators there cleared its return. Last month, TUI became the first company in Europe to begin flying passenger services with the 737 Max.
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