Japan grounds 32 JAL and ANA jets after Boeing engine fire

Same engine family was under scrutiny after trouble on Okinawa-Tokyo flight

United Airlines Flight UA328 returns to Denver International Airport with its starboard engine on fire on Feb. 20. (Hayden Smith/@speedbird5280/Handout via Reuters)

Nikkei staff writers

February 22, 2021 06:21 JST

TOKYO -- Japanese transport authorities have told domestic airlines not to fly 32 passenger jets that use the same family of engine that burst into flames over the weekend on a Boeing 777's U.S. flight, strewing debris along its path.

Sunday's move by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism affects 13 planes operated by Japan Airlines and 19 operated by All Nippon Airways, part of ANA Holdings. None of these planes are scheduled to fly Monday.