European safety regulators have granted type certificate validation to the Boeing 737 Max 8-200, new high-density variant of the re-engined twinjet. In a certification document revision the European Union Aviation Safety Agency lists a validation date of 6 April, following US FAA certification on 31 March. The 8-200 has been developed to increase the seating capacity of the Max 8. It has the same maximum take-off weight as the Max 8, at 82.2t, and the same baggage hold volumes. Irish budget carrier Ryanair is a major customer for the aircraft, having increased its order from 135 to 210 of the type in December last year. Ryanair is configuring its 8-200s with 197 seats. The aircraft has an extra pair of exit doors to meet evacuation requirements. EASA limits the maximum total number of cabin occupants to 207 – comprising 202 passengers and five cabin crew – owing to environmental control system ventilation rates. It recertificated the 737 Max towards the end of January this year following its grounding of the type in March 2019.

Japan Airlines is starting independent trials with three digital health credential applications to implement standardised digital health checks on international flights. The applications are CommonPass, VeriFLY, and IATA Travel Pass. JAL trialled the CommonPass application on its Haneda-Honolulu service on 2 April, will do so on Narita-Singapore on 5 April. The carrier says its trial will confirm the application's ability to send Covid-19 test results from Toho University Haneda Airport Terminal 3 clinic, a testing facility approved by Hawaii. For the others, JAL plans to implement VeriFLY for flights to North America in April, and trial IATA's on selected international flights in May.

The US Federal Aviation Administration on 5 April ordered US airlines to inspect the landing gear of 304 Embraer ERJ 135 and ERJ 145 aircraft following a similar safety notice issued in February by regulators in Brazil. The FAA airworthiness directive will take effect on 20 April, requiring operators of those Embraer jets registered in the USA to inspect and possibly replace their lower side arms and side arm struts to avoid the landing gear being locked in the down position. An investigation following the disconnection of a landing gear side arm on an Embraer jet revealed that the side arm strut lower bearing "was installed inverted on the airplane", according to the directive. "Further inspections found more instances of inverted installations on other airplanes as well as other improper installations," the FAA says.