Showing posts with label Kulula. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kulula. Show all posts

13 March, 2022

Comair's fleet grounded indefinitely

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has grounded the aircraft of regional airline Comair indefinitely it confirmed on Sunday. 

Comair is the franchise partner of British Airways and budget airline Kulula as well as a flight crew training operator. The regulators said Comair had not adequately addressed safety issues and the grounding was going to be indefinite. 

"This morning we communicated to them that their air operator certificate is now indefinitely suspended until they close all of the findings," a SACAA spokesperson Phindiwe Gwebu told Reuters, effectively grounding the company's fleet of over 26 Boeing 737 jets.

"This is a huge blow to our customers, employees and the flying public as it effectively takes 40% of the capacity out of the market.  The implications for the aviation sector and the country are considerable should the suspension continue for any length of time," said Glenn Orsmond, Comair chief executive.
 
The regulators claimed in the past month Comair had experienced safety problems ranging from "engine failures, engine malfunction and landing gear malfunctions," among others.  In its investigations, SACAA said it had discovered three so-called "level 1" findings "which pose an immediate risk" which it advised had to be rectified immediately.  However, the spokesperson would not publically state which those issues were and how soon they could be addressed. 

Passengers will now have to fly on government-owned and financially constrained South African Airlines which offers limited domestic and regional routes.  Full schedule (flysaa.com)


Additional reporting from Reuters, Wendell Roelf 



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