The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet to “carry out a one-time inspection of the emergency exits immediately on all Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft currently operating as part of their fleet”.

The regulator issued this directive as an “abundant precautionary measure” following an Alaska Airlines B737-9Max saw a mid cabin emergency exit assembly and portion ofthe plane’s fuselage blow out shortly after take off in the US. No Indian carrier operates the B737-9 variant of the Max yet and they have the B737-8 Max in their fleets.

A senior DGCA official said the latest directive is an abundant precautionary measure. “DGCA has directed all the Indian air operators to carry out a one-time inspection of the emergency exits immediately on all Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft currently operating as part of their fleet,” the official said.

“Pursuant to the Alaska Airlines incident involving Boeing 737 -9 Max aircraft, there have been no inputs /guidance from Boeing so far. None of the Indian air operators have Boeing 737-9 Max as part of their fleet yet.

However, as an abundant precautionary measure, DGCA has directed all the Indian air operators to carry out a one-time inspection of the emergency exits immediately on all Boeing 737-8 Max aircraft currently operating as part of their fleet,” the DGCA said in a statement.

“No, these one-time checks will be done during the night halt of aircraft,” the official said. Currently, Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akasa Air have Boeing 737-8 Max planes in their fleets. The directive emphasizes the need for immediate action and underscores the commitment to ensuring the safety and security of air travel within Indian airspace. Emergency exits play a critical role in ensuring passenger safety during unforeseen circumstances.

A window on an Alaska Airlines flight traveling from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California shattered, resulting in a cabin pressure loss. This incident compelled the pilot to conduct an emergency landing back at Portland International Airport on Friday evening.

The incident transpired on Alaska Flight 1282, a Boeing 737-9 MAX certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in November 2023, merely two months before the incident, as indicated by online FAA records.