Comair licence suspended over maintenance concerns

This SAA Technical?

SAA DENIES FAKE PLANE PARTS CLAIMS AFTER MANGO FLIGHT'S AIR TURN-BACK​


The publication reported that a preliminary report showed a defective replacement motor with a service history that "could not be determined with certainty".

The state-owned entity on Thursday said it wished to assure customers that all components and parts were procured from approved suppliers and all supporting documentation complied with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) requirements on components.

It strongly denied claims that it was being supplied with dodgy aircraft parts or components.

“Whilst any acts of criminality cannot be ruled out, it is untrue that there is a known international crime syndicate that has infiltrated SAA or SAAT that is responsible for tender manipulation and/or corruption at SAA or SAAT. There is no link, direct or indirect, between the aircraft incident involving the Mango flight reported on and matters that are currently under investigation at SAAT.”


ewn.co.za

SAA denies fake plane parts claims after Mango flight's air turn-back

This comes after the _Sunday Times_ on Sunday reported that a Mango Boeing nosedived during a flight between Johannesburg and Cape Town in September.
ewn.co.za ewn.co.za
 
marvelguy said:
This SAA Technical?

SAA DENIES FAKE PLANE PARTS CLAIMS AFTER MANGO FLIGHT'S AIR TURN-BACK​


The publication reported that a preliminary report showed a defective replacement motor with a service history that "could not be determined with certainty".

The state-owned entity on Thursday said it wished to assure customers that all components and parts were procured from approved suppliers and all supporting documentation complied with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) requirements on components.

It strongly denied claims that it was being supplied with dodgy aircraft parts or components.

“Whilst any acts of criminality cannot be ruled out, it is untrue that there is a known international crime syndicate that has infiltrated SAA or SAAT that is responsible for tender manipulation and/or corruption at SAA or SAAT. There is no link, direct or indirect, between the aircraft incident involving the Mango flight reported on and matters that are currently under investigation at SAAT.”


ewn.co.za

SAA denies fake plane parts claims after Mango flight's air turn-back

This comes after the _Sunday Times_ on Sunday reported that a Mango Boeing nosedived during a flight between Johannesburg and Cape Town in September.
ewn.co.za ewn.co.za
Click to expand...
Fake parts story was actually something that affect a lot of airlines.

www.irishtimes.com

Bogus parts for aircraft implicated in many crashes

Counterfeit goods, estimated to account for 5 per cent of all goods traded worldwide annually, range from fake watches to jeans…
www.irishtimes.com www.irishtimes.com

Fake parts a real threat | Aviation Week

Counterfeit parts are a threat to safety, reliability and profitability of operators and MROs alike. Chuck Grieve has been looking at the problem.
www.timesaerospace.aero www.timesaerospace.aero
 
/dev/null said:
The conspiracy theories in this thread are funny. Some sort of flat earther inspired logic.
Click to expand...
I'm just finding it hard to believe that a private & well respected company like Lufthansa is that incompetent.

Granted South Africans are employed there lol but they are still audited & accountable to Lufthansa
 
marvelguy said:
I'm just finding it hard to believe that a private & well respected company like Lufthansa is that incompetent.

Granted South Africans are employed there lol but they are still audited & accountable to Lufthansa
Click to expand...
They wouldn't be allowed anywhere near an airliner if their work was that shoddy. They handle repairs for some of the airlines that land in our major airports afaik.

I suggest you watch air crash investigations or read some of the reports. You'll appreciate SAAT more.
 
Kulula finally announces refund options for passengers stranded by grounding

Comair subsidiary says they are willing to credit tickets for those customers who were affected by the flight cancellations.

“Kulula customers affected by the flight suspension (12-16 Mar) can elect to claim a refund or Travel Bank credit to their full ticket value. While the cancellations were unavoidable, we recognise the inconvenience and wish to extend both offers to affected passengers,” it said.

In a bid to prevent any inconvenience to its customers Comair says that it has arranged for SAA Technical (SAAT) to take over the line-maintenance of its aircraft following a recent SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) review of Lufthansa Technik.

Although Lufthansa Technik (LTMI) passed a routine SACAA audit in February of this year, the unscheduled review made a number of findings which need to be addressed within 24 hours or the Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) licence is suspended.

Comair currently uses both SAAT and LTMI to maintain its aircraft.

“Our priority at the moment is to restore a full, reliable flight schedule for our customers to ensure they can book and fly with confidence, which is why, in these extraordinary circumstances, we acted as soon as we were informed that the suspension was a possibility,” says Glenn Orsmond Comair’s CEO

While Comair says that it respects and fully supports the SACAA in fulfilling its mandate and in so doing, ensuring that flight safety standards prevail in South Africa, Lufthansa and its technical maintenance facility ranks globally as one of the world’s most respected airlines and maintenance organisations.

Lufthansa Technik is certified by more than 40 of the world’s foremost airworthiness authorities, has over 800 customers, 22 000 employees and more than 4 500 exclusive contracts globally.
As well as providing aircraft maintenance, repair overhaul and modification services, amongst others, for airlines it also serves VIP, special-mission and military clients worldwide.
www.capetownetc.com

Kulula finally announces refund options for passengers stranded by grounding

Last week, the Civil Aviation Authority grounded Comair flights, which included those on British Airways and Kulula. It was a messy cancellation with stranded passengers across the country scrambling to rebook flights on other airlines.
www.capetownetc.com
 
Last edited:

Grounding of Comair has nothing to do with us, says Lufthansa Technik​


Findings made by the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) during an unscheduled audit of Lufthansa Technik Maintenance International (LTMI) are not directly related to the technical problems that led to the temporary grounding of Comair's kulula.com and domestic British Airways flights last week, according to Wolfgang Reinert, head of external communications at Lufthansa Technik AG.

The SACAA suspended Comair flights for five days last week after what the authority termed "a series of incidents". Comair announced on Monday evening that it had shifted maintenance of its aircraft away from LTMI to South African Airways Technical (SAAT)

Up to that point, Comair used both SAAT and LTMI to maintain its aircraft. SAAT was doing heavy maintenance, while Lufthansa Technik provided engineering services and day-to-day aircraft checks.

Comair said it is acting pre-emptively to prevent customer inconvenience.

LTMI is a full and completely independent subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group and has no direct link to Lufthansa Airlines. LTMI operates Lufthansa Technik's maintenance business for customers outside Germany and holds the maintenance contract with Comair.

"A regular audit of LTMI by the SACAA in February did not reveal any major complaints and LTMI's approval was renewed," Reinert said on Tuesday.

SACAA, in turn, confirmed on Tuesday that its audit of LTMI is in the final stages and to date the Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) licence has not been suspended.

Reinert said the company has taken note of Comair's decision to implement "a temporary mitigation plan" to safeguard their operations.

"The unscheduled audit the SACAA conducted, which ended recently, produced a low single-digit number of findings. These are currently being clarified between LTMI and SACAA."

On Saturday, one of Comair's British Airways flights from Gqeberha struggled to land at Cape Town International Airport, following an issue with its landing gear.

In mid-February, an engine-related problem forced a kulula.com flight from Lanseria to Cape Town to divert to OR Tambo International and on 21 February a British Airways flight from East London to Johannesburg had to make an emergency landing due to faulty landing gear.

Comair said on Tuesday that, should LTMI's AMO not be suspended or reinstated after suspension, it will have the option of moving its line maintenance back to LTMI.

Comair has been in business rescue since 2020. The Comair Rescue Consortium, comprising several former Comair board members and executives, was chosen as preferred bidder. Comair has indicated that restructuring its balance sheet is ongoing, and funding is still a concern. Last year Comair sold its SLOW Lounge business to FirstRand Bank for R250 million in order to raise funds.

www.news24.com

Grounding of Comair has nothing to do with us, says Lufthansa Technik | Business

A SACAA audit of Lufthansa Technik is in its final stages and to date the Approved Maintenance Organisation licence has not been suspended.
www.news24.com www.news24.com
 
Gordon_R said:
More plot twists:
www.news24.com

Aviation watchdog extends suspension of Lufthansa Technik's licence ', audits SAAT after Comair 'incidents' | Business

The SA Civil Aviation Authority has "indefinitely" suspended the Approved Maintenance Organisation licence of Lufthansa Technik Maintenance International and is auditing SAA Technical.
www.news24.com www.news24.com
Click to expand...

I particularly like the bolded part...

The SACAA confirmed on Wednesday that it is busy with an unscheduled audit of South African Airways Technical (SAAT) related to these incidents.
Click to expand...
 
marvelguy said:
I think Lufthansa Technik will take this to court
Click to expand...
Why? Do you know what was flagged by the audit? LTMI appears to accept the audit findings but deny involvement in the ongoing saga at Comair.
 
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