Dubai: Dubai carrier flydubai said that the three Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes in its fleet were unaffected after US regulators temporarily grounded 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jetliners for safety checks.

“Following The Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on January 6, 2024, we can confirm that the three Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in our fleet are not affected,” said a flydubai spokesperson.

“Flydubai operates Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft with a deactivated mid-aft exit door configuration, which is not referenced in the directive,” the spokesperson explained.

On Saturday (Jan 6) , the FAA temporarily grounded 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jetliners for safety checks following a cabin panel blowout that forced a new Alaska Airlines jet carrying passengers to make an emergency landing. The plane was in service for eight weeks, according to media.

The Dubai carrier operates 29 of Boeing’s 737-800 aircraft, including three MAX 9 and 13 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft that joined its fleet last year. At the Dubai Airshow last year, the Dubai-based carrier placed its first wide-body order for 30 Boeing 787-9s, diversifying its current fleet of all-Boeing 737 aircraft.

-B