Air India has completed fuel-control switch inspections across its Boeing 737 fleet, having previously finished checking its 787s. The airline says it found no issues with the switches' locking mechanism across the two sub-fleets. "Precautionary inspections" had been begun on 12 July – two days before the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation advised local Boeing operators to complete, by 21 July, checks recommended in a 2018 special airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB) issued by US Federal Aviation Administration. That non-mandatory bulletin (NM-18-33) recommends fuel-control switch inspections on various in- and out-of-production Boeing and McDonnell Douglas-designed commercial aircraft – excluding 777s – to ensure engagement of the switches' locking feature. It was issued after reports from 737 operators that fuel-control switches had been installed with the locking feature disengaged. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) states in its preliminary report on the fatal Air India 787 crash in June that the aircraft's two fuel-control switches "transitioned from 'Run' to 'Cutoff' position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec", three to four seconds after the twinjet's lift-off from Ahmedabad. The airline highlights that it completed the inspections within the DGCA's prescribed time limit, and says it "remains committed to the safety of passengers and crew members". The AAIB on 17 July warned against irresponsible reporting on the Air India crash. "Certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting," the agency complained. It adds: "We urge both the public and the media to refrain from spreading premature narratives that risk undermining the integrity of the investigative process."

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has warned CFM International Leap operators of the possibility of smoke entering an aircraft's cockpit or cabin as a result severe inflight engine damage or high vibrations. In a safety information bulletin (SIB 2025-06) issued on 18 July, EASA cites two engine bird strike incidents on Boeing 737 Max jets leading to activation of load reduction devices (LRD) which are fitted to Leap engines. "The LRD is a mechanical device that fuses to reduce the loads transmitted to the engine structure and the aeroplane during high fan unbalance events," EASA says, noting that the LRD is "designed to activate at a given load [and] is not a system that is controlled by the flight crew". Triggering of the LRD creates an oil leakage which, EASA says, "releases oil into the core compressor upstream of the aircraft bleed ports contaminating the bleed air delivered to the environmental control system (ECS)". Fresh air for the ECS on most commercial aircraft types is extracted from engine compressors. During the first bird-strike incident in March 2023, the right engine of a Max 8 was struck after take-off and subsequently shut down. The aircraft returned to the airport and landed safely. But EASA says: "The flight attendants reported heavy smoke in the cabin". Another Max 8's left engine was affected in a bird-strike event after take-off and subsequent inflight shutdown (IFSD) in December 2023. This led to "heavy smoke in the flightdeck" and pilots donning oxygen masks, EASA says. Citing a US National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the second incident, the European regulator says that "the smoke began to dissipate rapidly after the first officer pulled the engine fire switch", as directed by instructions. The aircraft returned to the airport and landed safely. In nominal aircraft configuration, fresh air for the flight deck is "mainly taken from the left engine, while the bleed air delivered to the cabin is taken from both engines", EASA says, noting ECS architecture differences between 737 Max and Airbus A320neo-family aircraft. Max jets are powered by Leap-1B engines, while Leap-1As are optionally available on A320neo-family aircraft. No in-service LRD activation events have taken place on the European narrowbody, EASA says. It highlights that the duration of smoke events following LRD activation depends on the time taken for an affected engine to be shut down or its bleed system to be isolated. An engine's bleed system will automatically be isolated when core speed falls below a certain threshold, for instance, during a shutdown. But if an affected powerplant continues to operate above that threshold, isolation will depend on pilot action. In that case, EASA asserts, "it is crucial that the flight crew promptly applies the corresponding procedures that result in an engine shutdown, or a commanded isolation of the ECS bleed from the affected engine." The authority warns that smoke or fumes in the cockpit "can reduce vision and cause discomfort, which could lead to flight crew diminished operational performance [and] possible crew incapacitation". Boeing has issued a flight crew operations bulletin to direct pilots to checklists when engine problems and smoke appear simultaneously and updated its quick reference handbook "as a precautionary measure", EASA says, noting similar cockpit procedures for Airbus pilots. "The SIB is an interim measure, pending completion of safety assessments and availability of potential design changes which might be required for managing the oil leakage risks for engine damages leading to LRD activation," EASA adds. The regulator recommends that the possible smoke scenario is "properly emphasised during flight crew conversion and recurrent training so that pilots are made aware of the challenges of an LRD event".

Spanish carrier Air Europa has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max. The factory-new aircraft (registered EC-OGS) is the first four Max 8s scheduled for delivery to Air Europa under a leasing agreement with AerCap, says the airline. It adds that another 10 will join the fleet next year and six in the first half of 2027, bringing its Max 8 fleet to 20. Fleets data shows that Air Europa has ordered 29 of the aircraft, including the newly delivered one. The airline's current fleet also includes 26 737-800s, 17 787-9s and 11 787-8s. Madrid-based Air Europa will deploy its Max 8s, configured to accommodate 189 passengers, on European and transatlantic routes, it says, noting that it is the first Spanish Max operator. Air Europa chair Juan Jose Hidalgo describes the first Max delivery as a "new chapter" for the airline. "We are not only modernising our fleet but also advancing toward a more sustainable and efficient operation, delivering benefits for both our passengers and the environment," he states. Iberia parent IAG has a 20% shareholding in Air Europa and last year abandoned a plan to acquire it from its parent Globalia, citing competition authorities' requirements. Air France-KLM and Lufthansa Group have since indicated interest in investing in Air Europa.