A while back, a Norwegian 737 MAX was flying from Dubai to Oslo. The very new plane suffered an engine problem and was forced to divert.....to Shiraz, Iran.

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What Happened to the Passengers?

Norwegian got the stranded passengers to Oslo after sending a replacement aircraft.

A statement released by Norwegian indicated that the passengers were taken care of and accommodated while the replacement aircraft was being sent to Iran.

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What Happened to the Plane?

The plane hasn't operated any flights since the diversion. And according to various flight tracking websites, the 737 MAX is still in Iran.

Norwegian also sent a crew of engineers and maintenance personnel to Iran with the reliever aircraft. However, it looks like the plane was not able to be fixed with the materials they had at the time.

Iranian planespotters also noted that the 737 MAX was still on the ground in Shiraz.

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What's Next?

As of now, it seems like the plane is going to need a new engine. Due to various sanctions on Iran (and the holiday season), the bureaucratic process is expected to take some time.

Flydubai operates thrice weekly flights to Shiraz from Dubai on a 737. Turkish Airlines also operates nonstop 737s from Istanbul to Shiraz. It would be interesting to see how Turkish or Flydubai would handle sourcing a new engine for their plane in a situation like this.

This is another headache for Norwegian as they undergo some restructuring to avoid collapse.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!