If you are planning on flying anywhere in the next few days, you might experience some trouble in the airports. Due to the recent plane crash that occurred in Ethiopia, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency order to ground all Boeing 737 Max airplanes. The black boxes from the Ethiopian Airlines flight have been delivered to France, and an investigation is underway to find out the exact cause of the crash that resulted in the wrongful death of over 150 individuals.
A few months ago, a similar incident happened to another Boeing 737 plane in Indonesia. Until officials can figure out the cause of these crashes, no one will be traveling on a Boeing 737 plane. So, what does this mean for you?
Flight Changes
Airlines like Southwest, American, United and Air Canada all use a high number of 737 planes. Southwest has 150 flights each day that are on 737’s, American Airlines has around 85 and United has 40. In addition, many airlines outside the US use Boeing 737’s, as it is Boeing’s most popular selling jet. With this many flights being canceled each day, the airports are bound to be a bit crazy for the next few days and possibly even weeks. If you have booked a flight with one of these airlines, there’s a good chance your flight will be changed or need to be re-booked.
As frustrating as this is, the Federal Aviation Administration has your safety as their number one priority. In addition, grounding these planes ensures that you won’t have to file a wrongful death claim on both the airlines and manufacturer for the loss of a loved one.
Boeing’s Actions
Although the affected planes have been grounded, many people are keeping tabs on Boeing to see how they handle the situation. Many airlines, especially those that primarily use 737’s, are attempting to seek compensation from Boeing for the grounded planes and canceled flights. Boeing agreed to the decision to ground the planes, but is still confident in the performance of their other jets.
Passengers on 737’s
Before these planes were officially grounded, many passengers boarded 737’s without even realizing it. Once they were on the plane they realized what jet they had boarded, they experience nerve-wracking flights to their destinations. These passengers were hoping and praying they wouldn’t end up in the same wrongful death situation that happened in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
Luckily, no other crashes have occurred, but what would have happened if the planes weren’t grounded and another crash took place? Well for starters, families and loved ones of the crash victims should contact a reliable attorney to start on a wrongful death or personal injury claim. In a situation like this, there are a few parties that could be held responsible. The airline, aircraft owner, aircraft manufacturer, the government and airport operators could all be responsible for the crash and death of individuals.
Hopefully, you or someone you know has not and will never be involved in a heartbreaking and scary scenario like the plane crash in Ethiopia. However, if you find yourself in a wrongful death or personal injury scenario, a personal injury lawyer here at Robert J. DeBry and Associates will be your best bet at getting compensation for damages that you deserve. Contact them today for any wrongful death questions.