Indonesia temporarily grounds three Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes

By VNA January 8, 2024 | 03:43 pm PT

A Boeing 737 MAX of Lion Air. Photo by Reuters

Indonesia on Jan. 6 temporarily grounded three Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes, operated by Lion Air, despite different configurations from the plane that had to make an emergency landing in the U.S. last week, its transport ministry said on Jan. 8.

The ministry’s spokesman Adita Irawati said the Lion Air planes had a "mid cabin emergency exit door type II" whereas the Alaska Airlines plane had a "mid exit door plug."

The ministry will coordinate with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing and Lion Air to monitor the situation, he said, adding that operational safety will be a priority.

A Lion Air spokesperson said the airline is conducting further inspection of the planes to ensure the emergency door mechanism works normally.