Boeing has delayed plans to unveil its huge new 777X jetliner this week following the deadly crash of one of the company’s aircraft in Ethiopia.
A Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed on Sunday morning, just minutes after taking off from from Addis Ababa. All 157 people on board were killed. The disaster happened less than five months after another 737 MAX 8 went down off the coast of Indonesia in late October, killing 189 people.
Boeing announced last week that the 777X, which can carry as many as 425 passengers, would make its “debut to the world” this coming Wednesday. It described it as “the largest, most efficient twin-engine jet” on the planet.
But a Boeing spokesman said late Sunday that the company is postponing the 777X’s big reveal. He didn’t say when the event is now likely to take place but added that there are no other changes to the aircraft’s schedule.
In a separate statement on Sunday, Boeing said it was “deeply saddened” to learn of the deaths of the people on board the Ethiopian Airlines flight. “We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of the passengers and crew,” the manufacturer said.
The company has orders for more than 300 of the huge 777X planes, mostly from airlines in the Middle East and Asia. It plans to start deliveries next year.
Dubbed “the boss” by Boeing, the 777X has the largest jet engines the aerospace industry has ever developed. (CNN)
Boeing postpones launch of 777X after Ethiopian Airlines crash
Boeing 737 MAX
In October 2018, a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX plunged into the Java Sea, killing all 189 people onboard. It is caused by a possible sensor problem, and that has been enough for Boeing to issue safety warnings to all the airlines that operate those planes, telling pilots to brush up on how to deal with confusing readings or erratic actions from the flight control computer, which could cause the planes to dive, hard.
Any issue with the 737 MAX is concerning because it’s proving to be a popular model around the world for Boeing, which has delivered 219 of the fourth generation of the 737 narrow-body jet plane and is sitting on orders for more than 4,700 more, making it the fastest-selling plane in Boeing’s history. It’s an upgrade to previous 737s, with more efficient engines and distinctive split wingtips for better aerodynamics. Boeing started deliveries in May 2017. The biggest customers Internationally, Ethiopian Airlines, Air Canada, Lion, and Norwegian all have them in their fleets, as do several Chinese regional airlines.
Workplace gender equality
A New Global Health 50/50 report reveals that most leading organisations active in global health have a long way to go towards workplace gender equality. The ground-breaking analysis of 198 global organisations active in health, covering an estimated 4.5 million employees worldwide, reveals that the majority are failing to deliver on sexual harassment policies, gender pay gap reporting, and gender parity in leadership positions.
Launched in Ethiopia by President, Sahle-Work Zewde (Pictured), the second Global Health 50/50 Report, Equality Works, shows that few of the world’s top global organisations active in health are achieving gender equality for their employees. This is despite more than a year’s worth of news headlines detailing widespread gender-based discrimination in workplaces around the world. The report exposes pay gaps; lack of policies on parental leave, sexual harassment and flexible working; and a systematic absence of women in leadership roles.
