Comair licence suspended over maintenance concerns

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Kulula and British Airways grounded — flights cancelled

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) announced on Saturday that it suspended the Air Operator Certificate of Comair (Pty) Ltd, with its subsidiary Kulula.com.

“This decision was reached following an investigation into the recent spate of safety incidents at the operator,” the CAA stated.
 
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Who does their maintenance, SAA technical?
The same place where all the non BEE employees holding a lot of the required certifications were pushed out?
 
According to the CAA, Comair operations experienced occurrences ranging from engine failures, engine malfunction, and landing gear malfunctions in the past month.
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The plurals in that sentence are particularly worrying.

If management want to disagree with the ruling, why don't they rather explain to the public what their safety systems are and how all those incidents (multiples of them) occurred?

I mean I get that budget airlines always need to push the envelope, but apparently the way the European budget fleets do it is by buying the brand new airplanes and then selling them before maintenance becomes much of an issue. Of course in South Africa our guys will try and hold onto ageing fleets AND save on the maintenance bill, which wouldn't be a good recipe. As this demonstrates.
 
Foxhound5366 said:
The plurals in that sentence are particularly worrying.

If management want to disagree with the ruling, why don't they rather explain to the public what their safety systems are and how all those incidents (multiples of them) occurred?

I mean I get that budget airlines always need to push the envelope, but apparently the way the European budget fleets do it is by buying the brand new airplanes and then selling them before maintenance becomes much of an issue. Of course in South Africa our guys will try and hold onto ageing fleets AND save on the maintenance bill, which wouldn't be a good recipe. As this demonstrates.
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Comair is sitting with 737 Max's - so they're brand new.

I think its more an issue with their older planes. Also, probably some truth to this and a little bit of politicial meddling to prop-up SAA for a bit. Now there's an airline that needs to be grounded permanently... in fact they do it themselves already by usually cancelling routes left-right-and-center.
 
“We are re-accommodating some passengers who have been affected and will publish a list of cancelled flights shortly,” The rest of you can get knotted apparently....
 
neoprema said:
Comair is sitting with 737 Max's - so they're brand new.

I think its more an issue with their older planes. Also, probably some truth to this and a little bit of politicial meddling to prop-up SAA for a bit. Now there's an airline that needs to be grounded permanently... in fact they do it themselves already by usually cancelling routes left-right-and-center.
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Ala Nationwide style, where CAA did not even know how to look for a part number on an engine mounting bolt, proclaimed it a pirate part? This after they for years of fights between them and CAA, starting after they refused to use Atlas, the sanctified supplier (who where not certified to support the initial BAC111s). They later changed to more modern airlines. Where the comrades tried strong arming in for shares, were told to f-off. Yet it was fine to use their non-Nationwide branded charter planes when others like Mango and SAA planes had problems. :thumbsup:
 
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Gary Waterworth said:
Who does their maintenance, SAA technical?
The same place where all the non BEE employees holding a lot of the required certifications were pushed out?
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Comair's solution to the problem​

Comair has announced that it will be moving its aircraft maintenance contract away from SAA Technical as a result of the ongoing issues.

Comair will now be using Lufthansa Technik for line maintenance services. Following its recent acquisition of Star Air Maintenance and Star Air Cargo, Comair will be looking to perform its own heavy maintenance in the future.
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simpleflying.com

Maintenance Challenges Cause Comair "Substantial Losses"

simpleflying.com simpleflying.com
 
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has indefinitely suspended Kulula.com and British Airways flights in SA.

Comair, which operates both Kulula.com and British Airways had hoped to resume flying again by midday on Sunday.
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www.news24.com

UPDATE | Kulula.com and British Airways operator's certificate suspended indefinitely | Business

The SA Civil Aviation Authority has suspended Comair's operator certificate indefinitely.
www.news24.com www.news24.com

SAA claim

In February 2019 Comair entered into a settlement agreement with SAA in terms of which the state-owned airline would pay Comair an amount of R1.108 billion plus interest in accordance with a payment schedule commencing in February 2019 and terminating in July 2022.

SAA, however, failed to make the payment of the capital and interest amount due in December 2019, the same month it went into voluntary business rescue. Consequently, SAA is in breach of the contract and the full outstanding amount of R790 million became due in terms of the settlement agreement.
The future recoverability of the amount outstanding, however, remains uncertain and Comair recorded a loss allowance of R285 million over the interim period against the SAA damages claim receivable as at June 30, 2019.
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www.news24.com

Comair hit by SAA claim uncertainty, impact of grounded Boeing | Business

Comair reports a headline loss of R564 million, of which R450 million is attributable to the increase in a loss allowance on an SAA damages claim.
www.news24.com www.news24.com

Wonder if its all connected or genuinely poor maintenance?
 

South Africa's Comair returns only B737 MAX - ch-aviation​

1647165886581.png

Comair (South Africa) (MN, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) has withdrawn its only B737-8 after having been in storage since the type's global grounding in March 2019.

ZS-ZCA (msn 60432) operated its last commercial flight for the British Airways franchisee on March 11, 2019, and has only been active on three test flights since then, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows.

Over the course of December 16-18, 2021, it was ferried via Accra, Santa Maria, and Miami Int'l for storage at Marana airport.

Comair ordered eight B737 MAX 8s from Boeing in 2013, of which five are still assigned to the South African carrier.

The airline, which is in business rescue proceedings, is in talks to cancel its remaining commitment for the type.

www.ch-aviation.com

South Africa's Comair returns only B737 MAX

Comair (South Africa) (Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) has withdrawn its only B737-8 after having been in storage since the type's global grounding in March 2019....
www.ch-aviation.com www.ch-aviation.com

1647166108265.png

ZS-ZCB - Comair's second Boeing 737 Max, was never handed over & delivered to them, as it was parked off at Boeing's Customer Delivery Centre in Renton, USA, due to a trifecta of calamities - the world-wide grounding of the 737 Max fleet after the Lion Air & Ethiopian Airlines crashes, then the global pandemic situation in 2020 & then Comair subsequently entering business rescue.
 
And their communication has gone completely dead. They’ve not even acknowledged the indefinite suspension. I’ve had no email, no sms, not a peep. Incredible.
 
I am glad that our aviation regulators/bodies are acting now. As someone that uses Comair [British Airways] every few months, this is worrying. Unfortunately, in the world of business, a few fatal incidents in a given time frame can be perceived as a small cost of doing business :(
 
koeks525 said:
I am glad that our aviation regulators/bodies are acting now. As someone that uses Comair [British Airways] every few months, this is worrying. Unfortunately, in the world of business, a few fatal incidents in a given time frame can be perceived as a small cost of doing business :(
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It’s good if they acted on genuine safety issues. It’s not good if this comes after some cadres golf game and some large black money bags…
 
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neoprema said:
Comair is sitting with 737 Max's - so they're brand new.

I think its more an issue with their older planes. Also, probably some truth to this and a little bit of politicial meddling to prop-up SAA for a bit. Now there's an airline that needs to be grounded permanently... in fact they do it themselves already by usually cancelling routes left-right-and-center.
Click to expand...
I'd rather go for this more sinister angle!
 
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