Transport Canada has cleared the Boeing 737 MAX (NYSE:BA) aircraft to return to Canadian airspace.
The 737 Max can return to Canadian skies beginning on January 20, Transport Canada has said, concluding nearly two years of government review after the aircraft was involved in two deadly crashes that saw the airplane grounded worldwide.
The aircraft will be permitted to fly as long as Boeing meets conditions specified by Transport Canada last December, including allowing pilots to disable a faulty warning system that was found to be central to the two deadly crashes that occurred in 2018 and 2019.
"Canadians and the airline industry can rest assured that Transport Canada has diligently addressed all safety issues prior to permitting this aircraft to return to service in Canadian airspace," Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in a written statement.
Canada’s measures go beyond those announced by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration last November, which required Boeing to make changes to the computer systems inside the plane and required pilots to undergo training in flight simulators.
Air Canada quickly announced that it will resume flights operated by 737 Max airplanes as of February 1. WestJet Airlines (TSX:WJA) announced previously that it will resume 737 Max flights on January 21, pending approval from Transport Canada.
