DOMESTIC carrier, CemAir, claims
its recent grounding is motivated
by bad blood between the airline
and SA Express.
Aviation sources have made similar
suggestions to TNW.
CemAir is following a formal appeal
process after its flights were grounded.
Miles van der Molen, ceo, of CemAir,
says the airline suspected that it was
being targeted due to the substantial
market share and large contingent
of staff it had taken from SA Express
recently.
“Five of the 12 CAA officials who
oversaw our audit were ex-SA Express
officials… We are being targeted not
because we are failing but because we
are succeeding.”
According to Miles, his staff members
received a number of suspicious emails
from SA Express members requesting
the names of their avionic technicians
leading up to the audit.
Miles also claims that he has
a signed affidavit from one of his
employees who had contacted an ex-SA
Express staff member, now at the CAA,
about his new position. The CAA staff
member allegedly told him: “Don’t
move there, we are going to nail them
next year.”
SA Express has denied this claim.
Refilwe Masemola, spokesperson, told
TNW: “There is no bad blood between
the airlines; their grounding was as
much a surprise to us as it was to the
SA public. The willingness remains
to assist Cemair with its stranded
passengers.”
According to the media statement
released by the SACAA, the withdrawal
of CemAir’s Certificate of Airworthiness
privileges followed the discovery during
an audit that some of the aircraft that
were serviced at CemAir’s Aircraft
Maintenance Organisation were
released back into service or cleared
as airworthy by unqualified personnel.
Miles claims that the dispute
related to a matter of paperwork
compliance rather than safety as the
airline’s avionic technicians had the
requisite qualifications and experience.
“However, SACAA advised us that
they also require technicians
to complete another short
course. This is not mentioned
in the approved SACAA
manual.” A technician who
signed off six CemAir aircraft
had not completed the short
course.
“On February 1, we met
with CAA officials and it was
understood that we would be
given a grace period to meet
the additional requirement...
However, this decision was
then overruled and an email
was sent to me advising of
the suspension five minutes
before midnight [on Thursday
February 1].”
The airline has undertaken
to reroute affected
passengers on other airlines
or to refund them in full.
Miles says the airline is having
some difficulties reaching
GDS-booked passengers and
in rerouting passengers where
Cemair is the only carrier on
the route.
Kabelo Ledwaa, manager:
Communications for SACAA,
says: “SACAA wishes to be
given the space to focus
on all aspects concerning
CemAir’s current compliance
issues and see the process
to its full, fair and logical
conclusion.” He adds that, as
CemAir has not yet shared the
alleged affidavit with SACAA,
they are unable to comment
on the matter. “Regardless,
we wish to state in very clear
terms that SACAA does not
tolerate any unprofessional
conduct by any of its
employees.”
TNW was informed by an
agent that SA Express is not
assisting with re-accomodating
CemAir passengers. Refilwe
explains: “The reason behind
the airline not carrying their
passengers is because
a commercial agreement
between the two parties has
yet to be finalised, however
we remain willing to assist
CemAir where we can.
