Indonesia’s Garuda is canceling its huge order for the Boeing 737 Max

“Our passengers have lost confidence to fly with the Max 8,” Garuda spokesperson Ikhsan Rosan told CNN.The Indonesian carrier ordered 50 of the planes in 2014 for $4.9 billion. It has taken delivery of one of them but has now sent a letter to Boeing (BA) saying it no longer wants to receive the remaining jets on order, Ikhsan said.It’s the latest blow to Boeing over the 737 Max, its bestselling passenger jet. The planes have been grounded worldwide over safety concerns following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight earlier this month.Boeing representatives are planning to visit Jakarta on March 28 to discuss the cancellation request with the airline, Ikhsan said.A Boeing spokesperson said the company doesn’t comment on “customer discussions.”Aviation authorities around the world have grounded the 737 Max following the Ethiopia crash. Many airlines have announced they won’t fly the planes until they know more about the circumstances surrounding the crash. The grounding is expected to cost Boeing billions of dollars.CNN reported earlier this week that US Justice Department prosecutors have issued multiple subpoenas as part of an investigation into Boeing’s certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration and the company’s marketing of 737 Max planes.The criminal investigation, which is in its early stages, began after the October 2018 crash of a 737 Max aircraft operated by Indonesia’s Lion Air. The 737 Max jets are by far the most important product for the company. It has orders for nearly 5,000 of the jets, enough to keep production lines operating for years to come.Jethro Mullen and Sandi Sidhu contributed to this report.