(Reuters) - Boeing (NYSE:BA)'s top-selling 737 MAX aircraft is being investigated following an incident last week when a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines plane, forcing pilots to make an emergency landing.
U.S. regulators ordered a temporary grounding of 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets installed with the same panel, while investigations and safety checks take place. Here is what regulators and airlines are doing as a result of the latest incident:
AIRLINES WITH THE AFFECTED PANEL:
ALASKA AIRLINES
The airline grounded all 65 of its Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes.
It said on Jan. 8 that initial reports from its technicians indicated some "loose hardware" was visible on some aircraft in the relevant area.
Alaska Airlines has cancelled hundreds of flights since the incident. On Wednesday, it said it would cancel Boeing 737 MAX 9 flights through Jan. 13.
UNITED AIRLINES
The only other U.S. airline operating the jets has suspended service on all 79 of its 737 MAX 9 aircraft.
The carrier said on Jan. 8 its preliminary checks found bolts that needed tightening on several panels. It was awaiting final approval for full inspection processes of the grounded aircraft.
United cancelled 225 flights, or 8% of its total schedule, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, 167 MAX 9 flights were cancelled, with the airline expecting "significant" cancellations on Thursday as well.
COPA AIRLINES
The Panamanian carrier said on Jan. 9 that 21 Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes remained grounded while authorities and the manufacturer defined the inspection instructions necessary for their safe and reliable evaluation and return to operation.
AEROMEXICO
The airline said on Friday that the 19 Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets in its fleet remained grounded awaiting inspection.
Aeromexico added it had launched a flexible flight-change policy for affected travellers, but did not specify how many flights had been cancelled.
TURKISH AIRLINES
The airline said on Jan. 7 it had withdrawn five 737 MAX 9 aircraft from service for inspection.
AIRLINES THAT LACK THE AFFECTED PANEL:
ICELANDAIR
Icelandair said it had confirmed the issue is related to equipment that is not a part of the configuration of its four 737 MAX 9 aircraft.
FLYDUBAI
The airline said its three Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes, which use a deactivated mid-aft exit door configuration, were not affected.
CORENDON DUTCH AIRLINES
Corendon Dutch said it has two 737 MAX 9, but the airline uses the extra door, so inspections are not needed.
AIR TANZANIA
Air Tanzania has one 737 MAX 9, but its CEO said that Boeing had told the airline its aircraft was not of the type that needed inspection.
REGULATORS:
U.S. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA)
The FAA said on Thursday it was launching a formal investigation after it last week temporarily grounded certain 737 MAX 9 planes.
On Friday, The FAA said it will intensify oversight of Boeing, and the agency's chief Mike Whitaker said the FAA believes there are "other manufacturing problems" at the planemaker.
The FAA said it would also re-examine its decision to delegate some responsibilities to Boeing and consider moving some functions under independent, third-party entities.
The investigation will determine if Boeing failed to ensure completed products conformed to its approved designs and were in condition for safe operation under FAA rules, the agency told the planemaker in a letter dated Wednesday.
U.S. NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB)
The independent U.S. agency has opened an investigation into the Alaska Airlines incident, and it appointed International Associations of Machinists and Aerospace workers (IAM) to the investigation on Thursday.
The NTSB said the plane's cockpit voice recorder was overwritten, renewing long-standing calls for longer in-flight recordings.
BRAZIL
Brazil's aviation regulator ANAC said on Jan. 7 the FAA ruling automatically applies to all flights in Brazil.
In Brazil, only Copa Airlines operates the plane, it said.
BRITAIN
The UK Civil Aviation Authority said on Jan. 6 there are no UK-registered planes affected. It will require any 737 MAX 9 operators entering its airspace to comply with the FAA directive.
CHINA
China's regulator has sought details on the incident, a person familiar with the matter said on Jan. 6. Bloomberg reported that China, the first country to ground MAX flights in 2019, was considering whether to take action.
Chinese airlines have not yet resumed delivery of any MAX models and analysts said the Alaska Airlines incident could cause further delays.
EUROPEAN UNION
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) adopted the FAA directive, but noted no EU member state airlines operate aircraft with the affected configuration.
INDIA
India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Jan. 8 that one-time inspections it had ordered of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft had been performed satisfactorily. None of the country's airlines fly the 737 MAX 9 model.
INDONESIA
Indonesia temporarily grounded three 737 MAX 9 planes operated by Lion Air on Jan. 6, a transport ministry spokesperson said, adding that the planes had different configurations from the Alaska Airlines plane.
PANAMA
Panama's civil aviation authority said on Thursday it had temporarily grounded 21 of Copa Airlines' 737 MAX 9 planes. The carrier has 29 in its fleet, but only 21 have the affected panel.
SOUTH KOREA
South Korea's transport ministry said on Thursday it will conduct inspections of maintenance procedures of the country's airlines operating 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
The ministry said five South Korean airlines operate 14 MAX 8 aircrafts. This comes after the ministry said no problems had been detected after inspections last Tuesday.
TURKEY
Turkey's Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Jan. 8 noted the FAA's actions and said it was coordinating with stakeholders regarding affected aircraft belonging to airlines in Turkey and those using Turkish airspace.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The civil aviation said on Jan. 7 that none of its national carriers have planes affected by the order.