Indian pilots express doubts about resuming commercial services with 737 MAX in Jan

Boeing’s announcement on Monday that it expects the grounded 737 MAX to resume commercial services in January, as it works to address questions from regulators over its documentation for revisions to the plane’s software, has met with scepticism in Indian aviation circles.

India is unlikely to allow the 737 MAX aircraft to start flying in the Indian skies from January next year. “It is quite unlikely as we have a lot of ground to cover,” a senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

It remains to be seen whether the European aviation regulator will allow the aircraft to fly in its territory, merely based on a certification given by the US authorities. Earlier this year, the European Aviation Safety Agency had said that it would conduct its own tests before allowing the MAX to fly in its skies.