Boeing 737 Max makes first commercial flight in China in four years

China becomes first country to suspend Boeing 737 Max operations after two major plane crashes

China has resumed commercial operation of Boeing 737 Max passenger aircraft after a four-year hiatus. China Southern Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max 8 made its first commercial flight in a long time, leaving Guangzhou at 12:45 local time on Friday and landing in Zhengzhou about 2.5 hours later.

China became the first country to suspend Boeing 737 Max operations in March 2019 after two major plane crashes that killed 336 people. And despite the fact that the local regulator approved the return of the 737 Max to service in December 2021, airlines were in no hurry to do so against the backdrop of greatly aggravated US-China relations.