Green light for airline
CemAir has said passengers with unredeemed tickets from cancelled flights would have the option to revalidate their tickets for a another flight.
CemAir could soon take to the skies again after two of its operating certificates were last week reissued by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).
The airline announced in a statement that it would reintroduce its scheduled domestic services from Friday, November 8 after a nine-month absence.
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Operations were suspended, not for the first time, during the busy festive season in December last year.
The aviation authority cited ‘concerns over the systematic failure of the airline’s maintenance controls, as the reason for the suspension.
It also claimed CemAir was unable to prove the airworthiness of its fleet.
The airline appealed the decision through the Civil Aviation Appeal Committee, which found that CemAir had been illegally grounded.
According to a statement from CemAir, in April this year the committee found the decision “unreasonable and unfair”.
“The lengthy legal process against the CAA vindicated our operation and the Civil Aviation Appeal Committee has determined that no safety discrepancy was identified in the company,” read the statement.
This was great news for the airline, but it was still unable to resume operations due to the expiry of its annual aircraft operating certificates in January.
CAA spokesman Kabelo Ledwaba said in a statement the authority had not intentionally made things difficult for the airline.
“The renewal of an Air Operator Certificates (AOC) is not automatic, it is based on the completion of a renewal audit process as stated in the civil aviation regulations.
“During the audit, several issues were brought to the attention of the airline. These issues related to maintenance concerns.”
The statement went onto say that after finally managing to address safety concerns that were raised by the CAA, CemAir had obtained the necessary approvals for two AOCs, giving it the green light to take to the skies.
Meanwhile CemAir has issued a statement indicating it expected to provide Margate and Plettenberg Bay with flights for the upcoming holiday season, with the possible addition of other destinations.
However, this is not the end of the airline’s problems.
Apart from the licensing issues, it still has to deal with the many customers who had purchased tickets which they were unable to use when the airline was grounded.
CemAir has said passengers with unredeemed tickets from cancelled flights would have the option to revalidate their tickets for a another flight.
“Alternatively we will continue to process refunds at the current rate with a view to finalising the backlog as soon as possible,” continued the statement.
The airline apologised to those who were left stranded and those who could not use their tickets.
Attempts by this newspaper to contact CemAir by telephone using the numbers which appear on the airline’s website have proved unsuccessful.
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