WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it was immediately grounding all Boeing 737 Max series aircraft:
“The safety of the flying public must come first. Until we can thoroughly examine the black box from the Ethiopian airplane, I support the FAA’s grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9 aircraft. While this order will have an impact on the U.S. aviation system, I urge the FAA to work with the airlines to develop a plan that will lessen that impact on travelers.”
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Durbin received an update on the ongoing investigation and decision to ground the aircraft during a phone call with Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao today.
Yesterday, Durbin sent a letter to FAA Acting Administrator Daniel Elwell and pressed the FAA to immediately provide the public with clear answers about the current safety of this aircraft and to work with both the manufacturer and the airlines to perform a thorough investigation of the aircraft to find and remedy any potential vulnerabilities.
The two accidents involving Boeing’s new 737 Max 8 series killed all those onboard, resulting in the loss of 346 lives. Eight American citizens were among those who tragically lost their lives in this weekend’s Ethiopian Airlines crash, including an Army captain from Matteson, Illinois.
