The U.S. Is Going to Keep Using the Boeing 737 MAX 8, But Promises to Look Into Improving Them

Regulators in the U.S. have ordered Boeing to make improvements to the plane involved in the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 people on board—but that doesn’t mean they’re grounding them.

Unlike Singapore, China, and Indonesia, the U.S. is going to keep using the fleet despite the fact that the Boeing 737 MAX 8 has crashed two times in the past several months, with a similar incident in October killing all 189 passengers and crew on board.

According to Yahoo News, the last time a new model jet successively failed was in the 1970s, with the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. But rather than rounding up the 58 planes currently operating in the U.S—24 used by American Airlines, and 34 operated by Southwest—and hauling them into a volcano, the FAA said simply that it’s working with local authorities and the National Transportation Safety Board, and may “soon share safety information concerning the aircraft.”

“If we identify an issue that affects safety, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action,” the agency said in a statement. It’s also ordering Boeing to improve anti-stalling software and the planes’ maneuvering systems, giving the company until the end of April to comply.

In the meantime, anyone concerned [RAISES HAND] can find out whether their upcoming flight is on a Boeing 737 MAX 8 at seatguru.com, and then either cancel that flight or find a portable Xanax drip to bring on board with you. Tell them it’s your service animal.