BA Boeing Co

   By Robert Wall 
 

LONDON--Airlines reinforced their call for air safety regulators to cooperate on returning the Boeing Co. (BA) 737 MAX plane to service and agreeing on common pilot training requirements after two fatal crashes.

The International Air Transport Association that represents more than 200 carriers Wednesday convened a meeting of MAX operators, regulators and others in Montreal about the way forward for the troubled plane grounded since March. Some airlines and plane makers have worried that regulators around the world may not coordinate their efforts, potentially creating confusion for passengers.

IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac, in a statement Thursday, said coordinated regulatory action was important to restore public confidence.

IATA also called for "alignment on additional training requirements for Boeing 737 MAX flight crew."

The Federal Aviation Administration has indicated that it won't require special MAX simulators sessions for pilots to clear them to operate the jetliner once it is given the green light to resume service. Other regulators are still considering their stance.

The date of the MAX return to service was further thrown into doubt Wednesday after Boeing said that the FAA had found a new software flaw in the MAX's fight control system. It is unclear how long it will take to fix the issue.

The discovery is delaying crucial FAA flight testing of the MAX to re-certify the jetliner.

IATA said its second MAX summit was attended by over 40 industry representatives.

Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 27, 2019 05:28 ET (09:28 GMT)

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