The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced it will hold a public hearing into the engine failure of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737, which resulted in the death of a passenger. As part of its investigation, the NTSB will hear testimonies and statements from various industry experts to aid in determining the causal factors of the fatal accident that occurred in April this year. In addition, the aircraft engine maintenance history, design and certification will be examined.

The European Commission has adopted new regulations to ensure pilots mental fitness and stability. Following Germanwings flight 9525 in early 2015, which was deemed to be pilot suicide by the investigating bodies, the EU has implemented the recommendations of the European Air Safety Agency (EASA) into its regulatory framework. As a result, pilots will need to undergo a psychological assessment prior to starting employment with European airlines, additional they will gain access to mental support programmes and be exposed to additional random drug and alcohol testing. Flight crews, including cabin crew members will also be screened for a range of banned substances including sedatives, psychostimulants and hallucinogens.

On 27th July, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) announced it would be reinstating SA Express' Air Operator Certificate (AOC) following the detailing of a recovery plan put forth by newly appointed airline officials. The airline has not yet confirmed a date for services to resume. The airline had previously been grounded by the SACAA following an audit of its internal operations and maintenance organisation which revealed several non-compliances and safety concerns.