Boeing 737 MAX makes its first passenger flight in China since March 2019

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A Boeing 737 MAX made its first passenger flight in China in nearly four years Friday, marking a major milestone in the U.S. plane maker’s attempt to rebuild its business in the world’s second-largest aviation market.

The China Southern Airlines plane between Guangzhou and Zhengzhou took off at 04.45 GMT, according to flight-tracking website FlightRadar24.

Boeing resumed flight testing of the 777-9

Boeing’s best-selling model was grounded in March 2019 after fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, but returned to worldwide service starting in late 2020 after aircraft modifications and pilot training.

China is the latest major market to resume 737 MAX flights amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States. The return comes as demand for domestic travel picks up after the Asian giant abandoned zero COVID policies.

Foreign airlines began flying the MAX to China again in October 2022, in a sign that the first country to ground the model after the crashes was easing its policies.

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