Russian carrier S7 Airlines has opted to suspend operation of its Boeing 737 Max jets, apparently without a specific instruction from the country’s civil aviation authority.

The airline has two of the type, the only examples in Russia, operated by its Globus division.

Federal air transport regulator Rosaviatsia issued a validated type certificate for the Max 8 on 17 September last year.

Rosaviatsia’s official repository shows that certificates of airworthiness were granted to the two Globus 737 Max 8s – which are both on the Bermuda registry – on 11 and 25 October.

S7 Airlines says it chose to suspend operations with the aircraft from midnight on 13 March, until it receives more detailed information regarding the cause of the 10 March accident involving an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max.

It insists the suspension “will not affect” the airline’s schedules.

Rosaviatsia had stated on 12 March that it was collating and assessing information on the Max situation but had not signalled that it was ordering a halt to flights with the type.

Russian carrier Ural Airlines and Aeroflot Group’s budget operator Pobeda have also selected the 737 Max for fleet modernisation, although neither has yet taken delivery.

Source: Cirium Dashboard