By aviation writer Scott Mayman

Alaskan Airlines has grounded its Boeing 737 Max aircraft after a window panel blew out and a child was nearly sucked from the plane on a flight from Portland Oregon to California.

The incident follows last week’s reports of parts missing from other planes that had prompted a worldwide call for airlines to check their jets.

Australia has only has a handful of Boeing 737 Max jets.

Bonza Airlines’ entire fleet is Boeing 737 Max 8 jets, not the Max 9 version involved in the mid-air emergency.

“We have received assurance from Boeing that there is no impact to our fleet” according to a Bonza spokesperson.

“Bonza doesn’t operate any of the 737 Max-9 aircraft that have been temporarily grounded for inspection.

Virgin has three of the planes in operation and plans to introduce another 11 this year.

The Alaskan Airlines pilot was able to return to Portland for a safe landing. There were 177 passengers and crew aboard the Boeing 737 Max 9 airliner.

A child sitting next to the blown out section of aircraft is reported to have had his shirt ripped off and sucked from the aircraft. His mother clung to him to prevent the child also being sucked out.

Other passengers had mobile phones ripped from their hands and sucked out of the disabled plane.

Alaskan Airlines has grounded its entire Boeing 737 Max fleet of 65 planes.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was requiring immediate inspections of Max 9 planes operated by US airlines or flown in the US by foreign carriers.

The FAA’s emergency order, which it said will affect about 171 planes worldwide, is the latest blow to Boeing over the Max lineup of jets, which were involved in two deadly crashes shortly after their debut.