Preparing for re-certification
A Tui Boeing 737 Max took to the skies in Europe
A Boeing 737 Max 8 of Tui Airways has left Tenerife after being stored for one and a half years. The flight is a sign that the travel company is preparing for re-certification.
This Tui Boeing 737 Max registered as G-TUMF took off from Tenerife.
This Tui Boeing 737 Max registered as G-TUMF took off from Tenerife.
Since March 2019 the aircraft was stored on Tenerife. But on Tuesday (September 15) the Boeing 737 Max 8 with registration G-TUMF left the Spanish island at about 10:40 am local time. The aircraft by British Tui Airways, flew to Malaga in southern Spain, where it landed just under three hours later.
A Tui spokeswoman confirmed to aeroTELEGRAPH that it was a ferry flight. However, the plane, which happens to be named after the city of Malaga, did not stay there. After a fuel stop, it continued its flight to Birmingham in the afternoon.
Special permission required
The transfer flight from the Canary Islands to the United Kingdom had been approved by the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the European EASA, the spokeswoman said. This is necessary because the Boeing 737 Max is still grounded after two crashes involving Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines planes. G-TUMF will now remain in Birmingham and undergo a modification programme together with all Boeing 737 Max from Tui, the company says.
This way, a safe return of the model is being prepared. «We continue to work hard with all authorities, and the health and safety of our customers and crews remains our top priority» the spokeswoman said. The European aviation authority EASA recently completed its test flights with the 737 Max. The aircraft could be re-certified in the next few months.