Indonesian national carrier Garuda has cancelled a multibillion dollar order for Boeing 737 Max 8 Jets. This is the first such cancellation after two fatal crashes involving the plane, reports The Guardian. Garuda blamed passengers’ loss of trust in the aircraft.
Garuda spokesperson Ikhsan Rosan said the company sent a letter to Boeing to cancel the order of 49 aircraft.
“The reason is that Garuda passengers in Indonesia have lost trust and no longer have the confidence” in the plane, he said, according to The Guardian. He also said the company has not heard back from Boeing yet.
Garuda has already gotten one of the 737 Max 8 planes as part of a 50-plane order costing about $4.9 billion. The company is talking to Boeing about whether or not to return the plane it has received.
Boeing, meanwhile, is working on a fix for the planes grounded by airlines across the world due to two fatal crashes, one in Indonesia in October and one in Ethiopia last week. The Guardian reports that the manufacturer is considering making it mandatory for airlines buying the aircraft to have one of two optional safety features installed, which would alert pilots of faulty information from key sensors. These safety features will now be included on every 737 Max as part of changes that Boeing is rushing to complete by next week.
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