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The Federal Aviation Administration is expected on Wednesday to clear Boeing’s 737 Max to fly again after grounding the jet for nearly two years due to a pair of crashes that killed 346 people.

Agency Administrator Steve Dickson said last week the FAA was in the final stages of reviewing changes to the Max that would make it safe to return to the skies.

“I will lift the grounding order only after our safety experts are satisfied that the aircraft meets certification standards,” he said in a statement.

The move would come after numerous congressional hearings on the crashes that led to criticism of the FAA for lax oversight and Boeing for rushing to implement a new software system that put profits over safety and ultimately led to the firing of its CEO.

Regulators around the world grounded the Max in March 2019, after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet. That happened less than five months after another Max, flown by Indonesia’s Lion Air, plunged into the Java Sea. All passengers and crew members on both planes were killed.

Investigators focused on anti-stall software that Boeing had devised to counter the plane’s tendency to tilt nose-up because of the size and placement of the engines. That software pushed the nose down repeatedly on both planes that crashed, overcoming the pilots’ struggles to regain control. In each case, a single faulty sensor triggered the nose-down pitch.

Boeing’s redemption comes in the middle of a pandemic that has scared away passengers and decimated the aviation industry, limiting the company's ability to make a comeback. Air travel in the U.S. alone is down about 65% from a year ago.

Boeing sales of new planes have plunged because of the Max crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. Orders for more than 1,000 Max jets have been cancelled or removed from Boeing’s backlog this year. Each plane carries a sticker price between $99 million and $135 million, although airlines routinely pay far less than list price.

John Hansman, an aeronautics professor at MIT, said that people typically avoid airplanes for a few months after there are problems. But the Max case is unusual, and were it not for the novel coronavirus, Hansman said he would feel safe flying on a Max.

“This whole thing has had more scrutiny than any airplane in the world,” he said. “It’s probably the safest airplane to be on.”

American is the only U.S. airline to put the Max back in its schedule so far, starting with one round trip daily between New York and Miami beginning Dec. 29.

Nearly 400 Max jets were in service worldwide when they were grounded, and Boeing has built and stored about 450 more since then. All have to undergo maintenance and get some modifications before they can fly.

Pilots must also undergo simulator training, which was not required when the aircraft was introduced. Hansman said pilot training for qualified 737 pilots shouldn’t take long because Boeing has fixed problems with the Max’s software. It no longer automatically points the plane’s nose down repeatedly, and doesn’t override commands from the pilot, according to Boeing. The company posted a summary of changes to the plane.

Relatives of people who died in the crashes remain unconvinced of the Max’s safety. They accused Boeing of hiding critical design features from the FAA and say the company tried to fix the tendency for the plane’s nose to tip up with software that was implicated in both crashes.

“The flying public should avoid the Max,” said Michael Stumo, whose 24-year-old daughter died in the second crash. “Change your flight. This is still a more dangerous aircraft than other modern planes.”

Boeing's reputation has taken a beating since the crashes. Its then-CEO, Dennis Muilenburg, initially suggested that the foreign pilots were to blame. However, congressional investigators discovered an FAA analysis — conducted after the first Max crash — that predicted there would be 15 more crashes during the plane’s life span if the flight-control software were not fixed.

After an 18-month investigation, the House Transportation Committee heaped blame on Boeing, which was under pressure to develop the Max to compete with a plane from European rival Airbus, and the FAA, which certified the Max and was the last agency in the world to ground it after the crashes. The investigators said Boeing suffered from a “culture of concealment,” and pressured engineers in a rush to get the plane on the market.

Boeing was repeatedly wrong about how quickly it could fix the plane. When those predictions continued to be wrong, and Boeing was perceived as putting undue pressure on the FAA, Muilenburg was fired in December 2019.

Dickson — who flew F-15 fighters in the Air Force before serving as a pilot and an executive at Delta Air Lines — foreshadowed the agency's decision to clear the Max to fly again with comments in September, after he climbed into the cockpit of a Max for a two-hour test flight.

“I liked what I saw on the flight," Dickson declared that day. Some relatives of passengers who died in the Ethiopian crash dismissed Dickson's flight as a stunt to benefit Boeing.

In recent weeks, European regulators also signalled their likely approval of Boeing's work. Regulators in Canada and China are still conducting their own reviews. Relatives say it's too soon, and they and their lawyers say Boeing and the FAA are withholding documents.

Naoise Ryan, an Irish citizen whose husband died in the Ethiopian crash, said the Max is “the same airplane that crashed not once but twice because safety was not a priority for this company.”

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Koenig, who reported from Dallas, can be reached at www.twitter.com/airlinewriter. Krisher reported from Detroit.

David Koenig And Tom Krisher, The Associated Press

BY  Leslie Josephs

KEY POINTS

• The planes have been grounded since March 2019 after two crashes killed 346 people.
• The incidents prompted harsh criticism of Boeing from lawmakers and safety experts over the planes’ design.

Grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are seen parked in an aerial photo at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, July 1, 2019. Lindsey Wasson | Reuters

The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday cleared the Boeing’s 737 Max to fly again, a turning point in a protracted crisis for the aircraft giant stemming from two crashes of its top-selling plane that killed 346 people.

The end of the 20-month flight ban gives Boeing the chance to start handing over the roughly 450 Max jetliners it has produced but has been unable to deliver to customers after regulators ordered airlines to stop flying them in March 2019.

Boeing shares were up 5.4% after the FAA ungrounded the jets.

Boeing has a backlog of more than 3,000 other Boeing 737 Max planes, a number that has declined as the lengthy grounding coupled with the coronavirus pandemic prompted customers to call off hundreds of orders.

Regulators grounded the Max in March 2019 after the second of two nearly-new 737 Max planes crashed within five months of one another. The crashes prompted a lengthy safety review that was met with numerous delays, driving up losses and costs for Boeing.

For months after the crashes, Boeing and the FAA faced criticism from lawmakers and some air safety experts about the plane’s design and certification. Tensions over the grounding between Boeing and the FAA cost the former CEO his job.

Investigations into the crashes and the Max’s development centered around an automated flight control system that was meant to prevent the aircraft from stalling. Pilots on both flights that crashed — Lion Air Flight 610 on Oct. 29, 2018, and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019 — struggled against the system after it was activated because of faulty sensor data.

Pilots weren’t informed about the system and mentions of it had been removed from pilot manuals when they were delivered to airlines. A House investigation in September found regulatory, design and management problems as the jets were being developed led to the “preventable death” of everyone on board.

Boeing has made the system less aggressive and added more redundancies, among other changes over the past two years.

American Airlines is set to be the first U.S. airline to return the aircraft to commercial service at the end of December. United Airlines and Southwest Airlines executives have said they expect the planes to return to their schedules at some point next year.

AL-NUKHAIB, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq and Saudi Arabia opened the Arar border crossing for trade for the first time in three decades, the Iraqi border ports commission said on Wednesday.

Arar has been closed since 1990 after the two countries cut ties following Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait.

Iraqi and Saudi officials including the Saudi ambassador to Iraq toured the site on Wednesday.

Riyadh has been wooing Baghdad as part of an effort to stem the growing regional influence of Iran, while Iraq is seeking economic benefits from closer ties with its southern neighbour.

The Saudi-Iraqi rapprochement extends back to 2015, when Saudi Arabia reopened its embassy in Baghdad following a 25-year break.

In July Saudi Arabia and Iraq signed investment agreements on energy and sports.

“The Saudi-Iraq relations have been cut for about 27 years, and now we celebrate an accomplishment that suits the Saudi-Iraqi relations,” Saudi Ambassador Abdulaziz Alshamri said.

“We welcome all Iraqi products to be exported to Saudi and through this border, there will be an exchange of visits between the two countries...,” he added.

Reporting by Kamal Namaa and Amina Ismail; Editing by Catherine Evans, Editing by William Maclean

Where to stay

The Wheatbaker The curious name was inspired by a Jamaican baker whose house once stood on the site; understated interiors include collections of paintings and photographs. Doubles from $289; thewheatbakerlagos.com or expedia.com

Bogobiri House Nearly everything in this 16-bedroom hotel—which also hosts live jazz and Afrobeat sessions—is a work of art. Doubles from $100; bogobiri.com or expedia.com

Radisson Blu Hotel Part of the global hotel chain but with a character all its own, it draws an arty international crowd to the Ikeja district. The outdoor pool has standout views. Doubles from $150; radissonhotels.com or expedia.com

Shopping

Alára This multilevel concept store selling clothing and furniture houses the Nok restaurant, which serves palm-nut prawns with steamed plantains. alaralagos.com

Jazzhole A shop for old-school music and eclectic fiction and nonfiction titles. The owner often tells stories about life in Lagos.

Food and drink

Ghana High Restaurant An atmospheric and down-to-earth spot popular with locals.

ÃŒtàn Test Kitchen Chef Michael Adé Elégbèdé elevates Nigerian cooking with dishes such as goat shank in ayamase sauce. michaelelegbede.com

Moist Beach Club A favorite hangout for its pool bar, bold wall murals, and people-watching. Order the fisherman's platter. moistbeach.com

Culture hit

Art X Lagos The annual “Frieze of West Africa” takes place in November, with a program of local and international speakers. artxlagos.com

Aké Arts & Book Festival The continent's top writers attend this yearly gathering of the African literary scene for readings and talks. akefestival.org N.S.W.

This article appeared in the December 2020 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here. All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

BY  Noah Higgins-Dunn

KEY POINTS

• Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said Tuesday that he predicts over 50% of business travel and over 30% of days in the office will go away in the pandemic’s aftermath.
• Moving forward, Gates predicted that there will be a “very high threshold” for conducting business trips and there will always be a way to work from home.

Bill Gates says more than 50% of business travel will disappear in post-coronavirus world

The coronavirus will fundamentally alter the way people travel for and conduct business, even after the pandemic is over, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said Tuesday.

“My prediction would be that over 50% of business travel and over 30% of days in the office will go away,” Gates told Andrew Ross Sorkin during the New York Times’ Dealbook conference.

Moving forward, Gates predicted that there will be a “very high threshold” for conducting business trips now that working from home is more feasible. However, some companies may be more extreme with their efforts to reduce in-person meetings than others, he said.

Gates, whose foundation has been working to deliver a coronavirus vaccine to people most in need, said during a new podcast, “Bill Gates and Rashida Jones Ask Big Questions,” that he’s had a “simpler schedule” due to the pandemic now that he doesn’t travel for business.

The philanthropist and tech executive, who appeared alongside Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla during the livestreamed conference on Tuesday, said he’s already held five virtual roundtables this year with pharma executives — a meeting that’s usually held in person in New York.

“We will go to the office somewhat, we’ll do some business travel, but dramatically less,” Gates said.

Bill Gates CNBC

The pandemic has devastated air travel demand, particularly for lucrative business trips. Business travelers before the virus accounted for half of U.S. airlines’ revenue, but just 30% of the trips, according to Airlines for America, an industry group that represents most U.S. carriers.

However, Microsoft executives have predicted that business trips will make a rebound, even as the company moves to make air travel more sustainable.

“We believe that as we return to the skies, the travel routes we’ve had ... will resume at the level they had been before,” Judson Althoff, executive vice president of Microsoft’s worldwide commercial business, said in October.

BY  Simon Calder

The Boeing 737 Max has been cleared to fly passengers again in the US, after two crashes led to the deaths of nearly 350 people.

On 29 October 2018, a single faulty sensor triggered an anti-stall system that caused Lion Air flight 610 to crash shortly after take off from Jakarta. All 189 passengers and crew died.

Less than six months later, Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 from Addis Ababa to Nairobi was lost, along with 157 lives, in similar circumstances.

In the immediate aftermath of the second fatal crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continued to insist the jet was safe. But after every other major safety authority worldwide grounded the plane, the American regulator followed suit.

After a rigorous redesign and certification, the Boeing 737 Max is likely to be flying passengers again in the US before the end of 2020.

The FAA administrator, Steve Dickson, rescinded the order that grounded the aircraft. Simultaneously the authority published an Airworthiness Directive specifying design changes that must be made before the aircraft returns to service. The FAA has also specified new pilot training requirements.

“These actions do not allow the Max to return immediately to the skies,” the authority’s statement read.

“The FAA must approve 737 Max pilot training programme revisions for each US airline operating the Max and will retain its authority to issue airworthiness certificates and export certificates of airworthiness for all new 737 Max aircraft manufactured since the FAA issued the grounding order.

“Furthermore, airlines that have parked their Max aircraft must take required maintenance steps to prepare them to fly again.

“Following the return to service, the FAA will continue to work closely with our foreign civil aviation partners to evaluate any potential additional enhancements for the aircraft.”

Boeing’s chief executive, David Calhoun, said: “We will never forget the lives lost in the two tragic accidents that led to the decision to suspend operations.

“These events and the lessons we have learned as a result have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety, quality and integrity.”

The manufacturer has been repeatedly criticised for failings and shortcuts during the design process of the Max. Boeing now says: “The company is identifying, diagnosing and resolving issues with a higher level of transparency and immediacy.”

The FAA announcement applies only to US airlines.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and European Union Air Safety Agency (EASA) are unlikely to clear the plane for passenger service until the start 2021. Other countries are also being cautious.

Marc Garneau, the Canadian transport minister, said: “There will be differences between what the FAA has approved today, and what Canada will require for its operators.

“These differences will include additional procedures on the flight deck and pre-flight, as well as differences in training.

“The commercial flight restrictions for the operation of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft in Canadian airspace remain in effect and will not be lifted until the department is fully satisfied that all its safety concerns have been addressed, and that enhanced flight crew procedures and training are in place in Canada.”

American Airlines is already selling flights on the Boeing 737 Max, departing from New York’s La Guardia airport to Miami on 29 December.

But the families of some of the victims remain concerned that the data supporting the assertion that the Max 8 is now safe to fly has not been released, leaving “unanswered questions”.

Clive Garner, one of the aviation law specialists at Irwin Mitchell representing the families involved, said: “The root of the problem is that the Boeing 737 Max aircraft will remain aerodynamically unstable. It will still have a tendency for the nose to pitch during certain manoeuvres and in turn this could still lead to an increased risk of its engines stalling.

“It is deeply disappointing that the carefully considered and wholly reasonable requests of our clients have not been acted upon by the US authorities. We hope that EASA will take a different and more considered approach when they finally decide about whether the aircraft is safe to return to service in Europe.”

*Launch of Abuja flights will increase Qatar Airways’ network in Africa to over 65 weekly flights across 20 destinations

*Passengers from Abuja can enjoy more flexible travel options via the most connected and best airport in the Middle East, Hamad International Airport with the airline serving more than 85 destinations across Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and North America

Qatar Airways has announced it will operate three weekly flights to Abuja, Nigeria via Lagos from 27 November 2020 becoming the sixth new destination announced by the national carrier of the State of Qatar since the start of the pandemic. The Abuja service will be operated by the airline’s state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, HE Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to be launching flights to the capital of Nigeria. With the strong Nigerian diaspora in Europe, U.S. and the UK, we are thrilled to now be flying to Abuja in addition to our existing Lagos flights which started back in 2007. We look forward to working closely with our partners in Nigeria to steadily grow this route and support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region.”

With flights to more than 85 destinations in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America, passengers wanting to travel to or from Nigeria can now enjoy seamless connectivity via the Best Airport in the Middle East, Hamad International Airport. By mid-December, Qatar Airways will operate over 65 weekly flights to 20 destinations in Africa, including Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Casablanca, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Durban, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, Lagos, Luanda, Maputo, Mogadishu, Nairobi, Seychelles, Tunis, and Zanzibar.

In line with the airline’s expanding operations across Africa, passengers can look forward to warm African hospitality onboard with the carrier’s multicultural cabin crew including more than 30 African nationalities. Additionally, passengers across our network can also enjoy a variety of African movies, TV shows and music on Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system.

Qatar Airways’ strategic investment in a variety of fuel-efficient, twin-engine aircraft, including the largest fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft, has enabled it to continue flying throughout this crisis and perfectly positions it to lead the sustainable recovery of international travel. The airline recently took delivery of three new state-of-the-art Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, increasing its total A350 fleet to 52 with an average age of just 2.6 years. Due to COVID-19’s impact on travel demand, the airline has grounded its fleet of Airbus A380s as it is not environmentally justifiable to operate such a large four-engine aircraft in the current market. Qatar Airways has also recently launched a new programme that enables passengers to voluntarily offset the carbon emissions associated with their journey at the point of booking.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. The Qsuite seat layout is a 1-2-1 configuration, providing passengers with the most spacious, fully private, comfortable and social distanced Business Class product in the sky. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted ‘Skytrax Airline of the Year’ title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times. HIA was recently ranked ‘Third Best Airport in the World’, among 550 airports worldwide, by the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2020.

Qatar Airways travellers from Africa can now enjoy new baggage allowances ranging from 46 Kg for Economy Class split over two pieces and 64 Kg split over two pieces in Business Class. This initiative is designed to offer passengers more flexibility and comfort when travelling on board Qatar Airways. For more information please visit https://www.qatarairways.com/en-qa/baggage/allowance.html

Abuja Flight Schedule: Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

House of Representatives has begun a review of six aviation bills as part of efforts to reposition the industry for efficiency.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day public hearing, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the House was determined to support legislation that would place the aviation industry on the path of sustainable growth.

The executive bills, bothering on the operations of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Nigerian Metrological Agency (NIMET), and Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) will amend certain aspects of the civil aviation Acts.

Gbajabiamila described the public hearing as an important lawmaking process that affords the members of the public the opportunity to voice their views either for or against any proposed laws before the parliament.

He, however, urged the stakeholders to make meaningful submissions that would assist the parliament in coming up with amendments that would be in tandem with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) best practices.

Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, noted that the Reps, in recognition of the importance of aviation to the national economy, had considered the Bills and referred them to his committee for further legislative actions.

Nnaji said: “The need for these enabling Acts to be repealed and subsequent reenactment of the new Acts are glaring, considering the urgent need to meet the contemporary demands and international standards for the general development of the aviation sector.

“It is pertinent to note that since the last review of these agencies’ Acts, significant changes and developments had taken place in the industry, which necessitated the review and amendment of these Acts so as to bring them up to date with the operational requirements and dictates of the industry.”

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, noted that the journey to the proposal for the amendments of the Acts, establishing the agencies under the Nigeria Civil Aviation, commenced following the result of findings in the ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit programme (USOAP) in the year 2006 as well as findings from the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA) category one/Certification Audit in the year 2010 that establishment Acts of some of the aviation service providers contained certain regulatory powers.

Sirika observed that the NCAA ought to be the only autonomous regulatory agency in Nigeria, adding that the anomaly necessitated the amendments to take a corrective action to address the audit findings.

Enugu State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has commended the resumption of daily flights services in and out of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

Ugwuanyi, who welcomes Dana Air’s inaugural operations recently, said he was delighted to have the airline reconnect Enugu with Lagos and Abuja after almost a year of airport closure for repairs.

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“We are happy to have a reputable airline like Dana Air in Enugu state. Enugu state is peaceful and our economy is growing really fast. With Dana air in Enugu, we now have the game-changer. Enugu is a salaried state and our people will be returning home soon. We are sure to have very efficient service with competitive fares,” the governor said.

Chief Operating Officer of Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo, said deploying flights on the route was the airline’s positive contribution to the economy of Enugu state and to also avail daily flight services from Enugu to Lagos and Abuja.

“Enugu state is peaceful and we are proud of your good work sir. We are happy to contribute our quota to the growth and development going on in the state, for the overall benefit of the good people of Enugu state.

“Dana Air is starting with one daily flight from Lagos to Enugu at 7.30, Enugu to Abuja at 9.05, Abuja to Enugu at 12.25, and Enugu to Lagos at 2.15 daily with a plan to increase the frequency in the coming weeks. We will offer seamless connectivity and options to the good people of Enugu state and our fares are very competitive when you plan your trip with us and book early,” Mbanuzuo said.

China's aviation regulator will not yet allow Boeing's troubled 737 MAX jet to fly in the company's biggest market owing to lingering safety concerns, despite the US lifting a ban on commercial flights.

Boeing's best-selling aircraft was grounded worldwide early last year following two crashes that killed 346 passengers.

It has since faced lengthy tests and approval processes with aviation regulators worldwide.

But the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on Friday that there was "no set timetable" for the resumption of flights, according to state broadcaster CCTV, dealing a blow to the plane-making giant.

China was the first to suspend flights of the aircraft.

The regulator added that the results of investigations into the deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia "must be made clear" and that the aircraft design improvements must be "effective" and "receive approval".

The US Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday approved commercial flight operations of the plane.

The crashes are believed to be linked to a faulty anti-stall system called MCAS, according to results from probes into the accidents.

Feng Zhenglin, director of the CAAC, said in October that China's prompt grounding of the aircraft was based on "zero tolerance" towards potential safety hazards.

Boeing said last week it expects China to buy more than 8,600 new aeroplanes worth $1.4 trillion in the next two decades, increasing its forecast as domestic travel in China has recovered to pre-outbreak levels.