The S7 airline, one of Russia’s largest, said it would continue to fly the plane, according to the news agency Interfax.
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IAC said that its Aviation Register and worldwide Commission on Investigation of Air Incidents proceed only from the interests of flight safety and adherence to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards and global agreements in the sphere of aircraft’s airworthiness.
Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) said it had to “halt all certificates” given out to Boeing 737-type planes until US and Russian authorities confirm “they are in a condition that ensures their safe use”.
On Thursday, the IAC withdrew licenses for the operation of Boeing 737 jets in Russian Federation. Rosaviatsiya sent requests to the FAA on two occasions for immediate fixes of the pitch control system in the aircraft after the 2013 crash in Kazan.
Russia’s Air Transport Agency will hold a meeting on Friday with representatives of Russian airlines to discuss the fate of their fleets of 737s, TASS reported, citing agency spokesman Sergei Izvolsky.
The 737 is the domestic workhorse for dozens of airlines worldwide, with 8,764 of the aircraft produced by the Seattle-based company, and 42 new ones rolling off the production line each month.
In a separate statement, the IAC said it wanted all foreign planes operating in Russian Federation to be re-registered on home soil, after the plane crash in Egypt.
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“We are strongly concerned by the fact that Rosaviatsiya, claiming serious flaws of Boeing 737-type airplanes that immediately effect flight safety, has not informed air carriers and supervisory services of Russian Federation about this for a long time”.
