China grounds entire domestic fleet of Boeing 737 Max Jets

I was only talking to some colleagues this morning about the Ethiopian crash and I mentioned airlines around the world would probably ground their 737 MAX

China has grounded its fleet of Boeing Co. 737 Max 8 jets after a plane operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed on Sunday, intensifying scrutiny on the best-selling model which has been involved in two deadly accidents in five months. Local carriers have until 6 p.m. local time to ground the 96 737 Max jets that they operate, according to Chinese government statements. The order came a day after a 737 Max run by Ethiopian Airlines plunged to the ground on its way to Kenya, killing all 157 people on board. A blanket grounding in one of the world’s biggest and influential travel markets is a blow to Boeing’s reputation -- and a potential threat to the Chicago-based planemaker’s finances with China’s move raising the prospect other markets could follow suit. Chinese airlines accounted for about 20 percent of 737 Max deliveries worldwide through January, according to the company’s website.

China Southern Airlines has 16 737 MAX.
Air China has 14

China Eastern Airlines has 13 

Xiamen Airlines has 9
Hainan Airlines has 7
Shandong Airlines has 6
Shenzhen Airlines has 5

The crash of a Boeing Co. 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines rattled confidence in the U.S. manufacturer’s best-selling jet with the second deadly accident for the model in five months. The latest crash raises fresh concerns about the safety of the 737 Max, less than two years after the popular narrow-body entered commercial service. A Lion Air plane of the same model plunged into the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia on Oct. 29, killing 189 passengers and crew. A preliminary report indicated that pilots struggled to maintain control following an equipment malfunction. In what may be a sign of trouble ahead if other nations follow suit, China asked domestic airlines to temporarily ground 737 Max jets, citing an unidentified industry participant. Boeing didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has taken no such action and says it is “closely monitoring developments.”

Main part of the story sourced from here:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-10/china-asks-local-airlines-to-ground-boeing-737-max-caijing-says