Aviation

Why did France release a Romanian airplane that was suspected of human trafficking?

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office reported on Saturday that French authorities had grounded a passenger plane carrying 303 Indian citizens, including 11 unaccompanied minors, at the Vatry airport on suspicion of human trafficking.

The aircraft, which belonged to Romania-based Legend Airlines, was en route from the United Arab Emirates to Nicaragua when it made a supply stop at Vatry airport, about 150 kilometers east of Paris, according to the Prosecutor’s Office. The aircraft was taken by French authorities on December 21 following the arrival of an anonymous tip.

A special French investigation into suspected human trafficking by an organized criminal group resulted in the arrest of two passengers. According to the local government, several others applied for asylum in France. Eleven passengers were placed under special administrative care, according to the prosecution, because they were unaccompanied minors.

The prosecutor stated on Sunday that a decision regarding the next course of action was anticipated overnight. The hearings were suspended in the middle due to a disagreement over the protocol used to prevent the Indians from entering the airport.

The prefecture stated that the French Civil Aviation Authority then started working to secure the required authorization for the aircraft to take off again, to have them in place “no later than Monday morning.”

Attorney Liliana Bakayoko of Legend Airlines told that the airline hoped the aircraft could arrive in Mumbai, India, on Monday “with as many passengers as possible.

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Aviation

Boeing Resumes 737 MAX Manufacturing After Seven-Week Strike

In a crucial move for its recovery, Boeing has restarted production of its best-selling 737 MAX jetliner, about a month after a significant seven-week strike involving 33,000 factory workers came to an end.

This marks a key milestone for the planemaker, which has been facing considerable challenges in recent years, including heavy debt and a series of setbacks.

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According to the report from Reuters, Boeing resumed the production of the 737 MAX jetliner last week, a pivotal step as the company aims to meet the growing global demand for air travel. With over 4,200 orders from airlines, Boeing’s ability to get the 737 MAX production line back in motion is vital for its financial recovery.

Although Boeing had previously planned to restart production earlier, the company faced numerous obstacles that delayed this process. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) head Mike Whitaker told Reuters on Thursday that while Boeing had not yet resumed production, they had plans to restart by the end of the month.

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The road to this point has been rocky for Boeing. Setbacks such as the tragic fatal crashes of the 737 MAX, the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing supply chain issues, production safety concerns, and increased regulatory scrutiny have all contributed to delays in the company’s efforts to ramp up production.

The seven-week strike, which involved thousands of Boeing’s factory workers, added yet another hurdle. Despite these challenges, production of the 737 MAX officially resumed on Friday, according to one of the anonymous sources.

Boeing, however, declined to comment on the matter. The planemaker is now focused on reaching its goal of producing 56 737 MAX airplanes per month, a target that has been delayed due to the many issues that have beset the company over the past few years.