JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — South African civil aviation regulator suspended British Airways' South Africa-based partner Comair and its low-cost subsidiary Kulula due to safety concerns.
A response presented by the operator of IAG SA-owned British Airways flights in the country and the domestic Kulula carrier is being reviewed, the Civil Aviation Authority said Sunday.
"The suspension follows a spate of incidents “affecting a concerning number of flights,”
the regulator said.
Comair said it was unable to confirm when it would start flying again, after working through the night to provide documentation to SACAA following a review of certain policies, systems, and procedures.
"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,"
Glenn Orsmond, Comair chief executive said in a statement.
There would be considerable implications for the aviation sector and the country should the suspension be prolonged, he added.
Founded in 1943, Comair Limited is an airline based in South Africa that operates scheduled services on domestic routes as a British Airways franchisee.
Kulula is one of the biggest local airlines in South Africa. Owner Comair went into administration during the Covid-19 crisis, which grounded much of the world’s aircraft fleet. The company was later revived by private investors.
Comair said it was unable to confirm when it would start flying again, after working through the night to provide documentation to SACAA following a review of certain policies, systems, and procedures.
"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,"
Glenn Orsmond, Comair chief executive said in a statement.
There would be considerable implications for the aviation sector and the country should the suspension be prolonged, he added.
Founded in 1943, Comair Limited is an airline based in South Africa that operates scheduled services on domestic routes as a British Airways franchisee.
Kulula is one of the biggest local airlines in South Africa. Owner Comair went into administration during the Covid-19 crisis, which grounded much of the world’s aircraft fleet. The company was later revived by private investors.
