A growing number of airlines around the world have grounded their Boeing 737 Max 8 jets following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines plane that killed 157 people on Sunday, five months after a similar Indonesian Lion Air jet plunged into the ocean, killing 189. Here is a list of airlines and countries that have grounded the aircraft so far.
TURKEY
Turkish Airlines says it is grounding all Boeing 737 Max aircraft in its fleet until further notice. In a statement issued on Twitter on Tuesday, Turkish Airlines CEO Bilal Eksi said all Boeing 737 Max flights are suspended until the ``uncertainty affecting safety is cleared.'' He added that passenger safety was the company's priority. Turkish Airlines is the latest company around the world to ground the planes following the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday.
FRANCE
The French Civil Aviation Authority has joined several other nations and closed French airspace to all Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. In a statement Tuesday, the authority says that ``France is carefully following the progress of the inquiry'' relating to the Ethiopian Airlines plane crash in Addis Ababa on Sunday that left 157 people dead. It says French airline companies do not possess any of the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. But as a precautionary measure, French authorities have decided to ``forbid all commercial flights on a Boeing 737 Max departing from, travelling to, or flying across, France.''
IRELAND
Irish aviation authorities have suspended all variants of Boeing 737 Max aircraft into and out of Ireland's airspace as European aviation regulators respond to recent crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Irish authorities say they made the decision ``based on ensuring the continued safety of passengers and flight crew.'' The decision comes shortly after UK civilian aviation authorities took a similar step, motivated by the lack of information coming from the flight data recorder involved in the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday. Experts are chasing details on why the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 on board. But answers could take months and regulators are taking steps in the interim.
GERMANY
Germany's transport ministry says the country is closing its airspace to Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, following a similar decision by Britain. The ministry confirmed to news agency dpa on Tuesday comments made by Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer to n-tv television. The broadcaster quoted Scheuer on its website as saying safety is the priority, and ``until all doubts are cleared up, I have ordered that German airspace be closed for the Boeing 737 Max with immediate effect.'' Germany joins a rapidly growing number of nations and carriers either grounding the planes or barring them from their airspace.
NORWAY
Norwegian Air Shuttle says it has grounded its Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft on recommendation from European aviation authorities after Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines crash. The Norwegian carrier has 18 of the planes. Tomas Hesthammer, the low-cost carrier's acting chief operating officer, says that ``the safety and security of our customers and colleagues will never be compromise and once authorities advise to cease operations we will of course comply.'' A growing number of airlines and countries around the world have grounded the planes.
UNITED KINGDOM
British regulators have grounded Boeing 737 Max aircraft following the Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday. The UK Civil Aviation Authority says in a statement Tuesday that though it had been monitoring the situation, it had as a precautionary measure ``issued instructions to stop any commercial passenger flights from any operator arriving, departing or overflying UK airspace.'' Some five 737 Max aircraft are registered and operational in the United Kingdom, while a sixth had planned to commence operations later this week. Several countries have now grounded the planes. Experts are chasing details on why the plane crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 157 on board. Answers could take months.
MALAYSIA
Malaysian authorities say all flights by Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft into and out of the country have been suspended following two fatal crashes involving the jet in less than five months. The Civil Aviation Authority said in a short statement Tuesday that no Malaysian carriers operate the Max 8, but that foreign airlines are banned from flying the plane in Malaysia, and from transiting in the country, until further notice. A number of airlines and countries around the world have grounded the planes after a fatal crash in Ethiopia on Sunday and one in Indonesia last year.
OMAN
Oman says it is ``temporarily suspending'' flights by Boeing 737 Max aircraft at its airports after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jetliner of the same type. The Public Authority for Civil Aviation made the announcement Tuesday. State-owned Oman Air operates five Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. Oman is a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. The crash of the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 on Sunday killed 157 people. A similar Lion Air plane crashed in Indonesia in October, killing 189 people. Airlines around the world have begun grounding the aircraft as an investigation into Sunday's crash continues.
AUSTRALIA
Australia has announced a temporary ban on flights by Boeing 737 Max aircraft, although none of its airlines currently operate them. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority said Tuesday that the ban will affect two foreign airlines_SilkAir and Fiji Airways_that use them for flights to Australia. The authority said Singapore's SilkAir has already grounded its 737 Max jets, and that it is working with regulators there and in Fiji to minimize disruptions. It said that Fiji Airways has two 737 Max 8 jets in its fleet. The airline had hoped to continue flying the jets to Pacific destinations.
BRAZIL
Brazil's Gol Airlines has suspended the use of 121 Max 8 jets. The airline said it is following the investigation of the Max 8 closely and hopes to return the aircraft to use as soon as possible. Gol said it has made nearly 3,000 flights with the Max 8, which went into service last June, with ``total security and efficiency.''
CAYMAN ISLANDS
Cayman Airways, a Caribbean carrier, said it stopped using its two Max 8 jets starting Monday. President and CEO Fabian Whorms said the airline is committed to ``putting the safety of our passengers and crew first.'' Whorms said the move will cause changes to flight schedules. Cayman is the flag carrier of Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory. It received its first Max 8 in November and its second earlier this month.
CHINA
China has 96 Max 8 jets in service, belonging to carriers such as Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines. The civilian aviation authority directed the planes to be grounded indefinitely on Monday. It said the order was ``taken in line with the management principle of zero tolerance for security risks.'' There were eight Chinese citizens on the Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed shortly after taking off on Sunday. The authority said it will consult the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing before deciding when to lift the ban.
ETHIOPIA
A spokesman for Ethiopian Airlines says it will ground its remaining four Max 8 jets as an ``extra safety precaution'' while it investigates Sunday's deadly crash. Asrat Begashaw said investigations and the search for bodies and aircraft debris will continue. The airline is awaiting the delivery of 25 more Max 8 jets.
INDIA
India's Jet Airways says it is ``in contact with the manufacturer'' of Max 8 jets and has grounded five of them starting Monday. Indian airline SpiceJet also uses the aircraft, but it's unclear if those planes are grounded. Calls and emails to the company were unanswered Tuesday. On Monday, India's aviation watchdog ordered a safety assessment of the aircraft. It also issued safety instructions for flying the Max 8 jet.
INDONESIA
Indonesia says it will temporarily ground Max 8 jets to inspect their airworthiness. Director General of Air Transportation Polana B. Pramesti said the move was made to ensure flight safety. A Lion Air model of the same plane crashed in Indonesia in October. Indonesian airlines operate 11 Max 8 jets. Lion Air, which owns 10 of them, said it will try to minimize the impact of the decision on operations. The other Max 8 jet belongs to national carrier Garuda.
MEXICO
Mexican airline Aeromexico has suspended flights of its six Max 8 jets after the crash in Ethiopia. Aeromexico said it ``fully'' trusts the safety of its fleet but ordered the grounding to ensure ``the safety of its operations and the peace of mind of its customers.'' It said other planes will take over the routes usually flown by the Max 8.
SINGAPORE
Singapore has temporarily banned Max 8 jets _ and other models in the Max range _ from entering and leaving the country. The civil aviation authority said it was ``closely monitoring the situation'' and the ban will be ``reviewed as relevant safety information becomes available.'' It added that it was in close communication with the FAA, Boeing and other aviation authorities. SilkAir, a regional carrier owned by Singapore Airlines, has six Max 8 jets. It said the ban ``will have an impact on some of the airline's flight schedules.'' The authority said flights to Singapore by China Southern Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Shandong Airlines and Thai Lion Air will also be affected.