Boeing staggered into a deepening global crisis as governments around the world grounded the company’s best-selling jet over safety concerns after a second deadly crash.
The UK blocked flights on Tuesday by the 737 Max plane until more information becomes available about why an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft plunged into a hillside near Addis Ababa, killing 157. Germany, France, the Netherlands, Itlay and Ireland took similar steps. A blanket ban from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency is likely to follow, said a person familiar with the matter.
The global rush to halt flights is leaving Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration isolated a day after they expressed confidence in the jetliner’s airworthiness.
