CEMAIR has confirmed
that passengers
affected by the
suspension of its operations
by the South African Civil
Aviation Authority during
December will be granted
full refunds within eight
weeks.
Passengers who made
bookings via a travel agent
are being advised to contact
the agent directly for their
refund application, which
agents can apply for via
BSPlink.
CemAir was able to
resume operations on
December 20, when the
High Court decided to
temporarily lift SACAA’s
suspension. When asked
whether the grounds on
which SACAA implemented
the suspension were
justified, Miles van der
Molen, CemAir ceo, told
TNW that the airline would
not have taken the case
to the High Court if they
thought SACAA’s decision
was legitimate. He added
that the High Court could
not overturn SACAA’s
decision, but advised that
the temporary lifting would
be in place at least until the
end of the official appeals
process.
In response to passenger
reports that further flight
cancellations and delays
took place after the
suspension was lifted in
December, Miles said:
“This was as an indirect
result of the suspension,
due to passengers not
arriving for their flights. We
also battled to get hold of
the passengers to ensure
that we did not leave them
behind.”
At the time of the
suspension, SACAA said the
decision followed the raising
of two Level One findings
against the operator by its
inspectors during an annual
permit renewal audit.
SACAA describes Level
One findings as severe
non-compliance or nonconformance issues that
pose a very serious safety
risk.
A statement released by
SACAA on December 12,
advised that the suspension
was due to the airline failing
to produce or demonstrate
that it had appointed a
qualified person for the
role of Responsible Person:
Flight Operations (RPFO), a
position required by the Civil
Aviation regulations. The
statement also mentioned
that CemAir had continued
to use an employee in
that position, even though
SACAA had notified them
that this employee did not
meet its requirements for
the position.
In response to these
concerns, CemAir stated:
“It is, with respect, without
any doubt that Venter (the
employee), with over 46
years of experience, is not
only a fit and proper person
to hold the position of RPFO
but one of the most highly
qualified for the post in
South Africa. He is certainly
suitably qualified for the
position.”
“This false and
defamatory publication,
designed to unjustifiably
attack CemAir’s pristine
safety record is regrettable,”
responded the airline in
a statement. “There is a
strong perception amongst
the employees of CemAir
that the company is being
targeted by the CAA.”
SACAA advised that the
court had not exonerated
the airline, and that its
suspension had been
temporarily lifted with
conditions.
