South African Airline Comair’s Fleet Grounded Indefinitely

South Africa’s civil aviation regulator indefinitely grounded Comair’s planes on Sunday, saying the airline has failed to adequately address safety issues, which is also affecting passengers on low-cost carrier Kulula and British Airways.

A spokesman for South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said it had indefinitely extended a precautionary 24-hour suspension of Comair’s operator certificate.

The suspension was due to end on Sunday, but Comair has not adequately addressed all the necessary safety issues, the SACAA said.

“This morning we informed them (Comair) that their AOC is now indefinitely suspended pending the completion of all determinations,” SACAA spokesman Phindiwe Gwebu told newsmen, effectively grounding the company’s Boeing aircraft fleet.

In issuing the precautionary notice on Saturday, the regulator said Comair had experienced safety issues in the past month ranging from “engine failures, engine malfunctions and landing gear malfunctions,” among others.

In its investigation, SACAA said it had uncovered three so-called “Level 1” findings “that pose an immediate risk” and need to be addressed immediately.

Gwebu did not elaborate on the outstanding safety issues Comair, which flies local and regional routes of South Africa under British Airways (BA) livery under a licensing agreement, needed to address before flying again. In addition to flying BA aircraft, Comair also operates the Kulula brand.

A notice on Kulula’s website showed that Comair intended to resume its flight schedule at 12 noon (1000 GMT) on Sunday, subject to SACAA approval.

“We will do everything in our power to accommodate customers affected by the suspension on other flights, prioritizing vulnerable customers and those who needed to travel most urgently,” Comair said, adding that customers were also informed via text message be kept up to date.