Turkish Airlines has joined a growing list of airlines temporarily grounding their Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft following a mid-air incident involving an Alaska Airlines plane of the same model.

The decision was confirmed by Yahya Üstün, a spokesperson for Turkish Airlines, on the social media platform X. In his statement, Üstün mentioned that the withdrawal of the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft is a result of preliminary investigations into the Alaska Airlines incident. The move is intended to ensure the safety and reliability of Turkish Airlines' fleet.

“Following the incident on Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, as a result of the preliminary investigation of the authorities, 5 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in the Turkish Airlines fleet were requested to be examined as a precaution. Until the technical review process in the incident is completed and the measures requested by the authorities are taken, Turkish Airlines has decided to withdraw 5 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in its fleet from operation at the airport where they will first land,” Üstün wrote on X.

This decision follows the grounding of 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jetliners by US regulators on Saturday, prompted by a cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight. The incident led to an emergency landing, raising concerns about the safety of the Boeing 737 Max 9 model. Airlines worldwide, including those in China and India, are now considering safety checks and inspections on their respective Boeing fleets.

It's worth noting that this incident follows a temporary grounding of the entire Boeing 737 Max fleet in 2019, prompted by two fatal crashes. The recent events highlight the ongoing scrutiny and cautious approach towards the safety of Boeing's aircraft models. (ILKHA)