The World : British Ground Boeing 737s

Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority grounded all 12 Boeing 737-400 aircraft operated by British carriers due to two recent engine failures. Both incidents involved damage to fan blades in engines manufactured by SNECMA of France in a joint venture with General Electric Co. The same engine and plane also were involved in a British Midlands airline crash in January that killed 47 people. The recent failures forced a Dan-Air jet, carrying 100 charter passengers to Minorca, to return to London’s Gatwick Airport after takeoff and forced a British Midlands jet, flying from London’s Heathrow Airport to Belfast, Northern Ireland, with 80 people, to make an emergency landing at East Midlands airport.