News of a second Boeing 737-800 Max aircraft crash in five months rocked the travel industry and world alike Sunday morning.

The March 10 crash occurred shortly after takeoff on flight ET 302/10 from Addis Ababa (ADD) en route to Nairobi (NBO). The flight lost contact with ground control six minutes after takeoff. The crash killed all 157 people on the flight. There were eight Chinese passengers on board.

The previous 737-800 Max aircraft crash occurred Oct. 29, 2018, in Indonesia as part of a Lion Air itinerary.

While the recent crash is still being investigated, the common denominator is the model of aircraft. The new aircraft is exceptionally popular and Boeing’s fastest-selling in history. Since its introduction in 2017, Boeing has nearly 4,700 orders from 100 customers worldwide for the 737 MAX family of aircraft.

Boeing’s 737 Max customers span the world, from carriers including WestJet in Canada to Turkish Airlines to China Eastern Airlines.

Pending further investigation into the issues plaguing the aircraft, a number of airlines and countries grounded it. Ethiopian Airlines led the charge with a complete grounding. The Civil Aviation Administration of China followed suit by formally requesting domestic airlines ground their fleets as well. Indonesia followed China’s lead in requesting the fleets remain grounded until proper investigations and safety measures can be worked out.

When is the last time you flew on a Boeing 737 Max? Do you agree with the grounding while safety precautions can be pursued? Tell us. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.