UAE bans Boeing 737 Max models from flying in airspace

DUBAI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The aviation regulator of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said it has grounded all Boeing 737 MAX models in the country's airspace, Emirates News Agency (WAM) said on Tuesday.

The decision was "issued to ensure the safety of the UAE's civil aviation industry and the public," the report quoted the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE as saying.

It also instructed any airlines with planes enroute to request special approvals to fly out of the UAE.

Investigators from the GCAA are working with the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority and Boeing to gather more information, it said.

Flydubai, the only UAE airline operating the MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft, issued a statement on Tuesday night after the GCAA's decision, confirming its aircraft have been grounded.