Aviation authority welcomes Comair's decision to ground Boeing jet

The SA Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) has lauded Comair's decision to temporarily remove its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from its flight schedule.

The authority's spokesperson Kabelo Ledwaba said the airline's decision was "self-grounding", adding that it was the type of decision that a regulator "appreciates".

He said it came from an operator that "puts the concerns, interests, and safety of its passengers and crew first".

"The decision is indeed commendable," Ledwaba said.

He said the aviation authority would continue to monitor the situation and engage all stakeholders, including the operator and the manufacturer, on the matter.

Comair grounded its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft late on Monday. It is the same type of plane as that involved in the fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday.

This was despite the fact that "neither regulatory authorities nor the manufacturer has required [Comair] to do so", said Wrenelle Stander, executive director of Comair’s airline division.

Earlier on Monday the company had said it would keep the aircraft in operation.

Comair said it remained confident in the inherent safety of the aircraft. However it had decided to temporarily not schedule the aircraft while it consulted with other operators, Boeing and technical experts.

"The safety and confidence of our customers and crew is always our priority," said Stander.