SA Express grounded

[schumi]

Cape Town - The SA Civil Aviation Authority says it has suspends SA Express’ Air Operator Certificate due to non-compliance with safety issues.

The regulator says the suspension, effective immediately, follows a series of non-compliance issues.

Recent inspections and audits on the airline’s operations by the SACAA have pointed to inefficient safety monitoring systems, which the SACAA says "poses serious safety hazards and risks to the crew, passengers, and the public at large".

More at:http://traveller24.news24.com/News/Flights/sa-express-grounded-20160430

 

[BlindMelonChitlin]

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2016/04/30/Passengers-stranded-for-hours-after-SA-Express-grounded

A passenger has told of how passengers of grounded airline SA Express were already checked in for a flight from Cape Town to East London and were still stranded hours later while they waited to hear whether they would be offered alternative flights or refunds.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) on Saturday suspended SA Express’ Air Operator Certificate‚ with immediate effect‚ due to concerns over serious safety hazards that pose a risk to the crew‚ passengers‚ and the public.

Member of Parliament stranded at airport as SA Express is grounded
“It is critical to note that this suspension is precautionary and taken in the interest of safety and preventing incidents that can be catastrophic‚” the aviation authority said of the SAX grounding.

A passenger‚ who wished to remain anonymous‚ said he checked in just before 7am for an 8am flight from Cape Town to East London and then proceeded to the lounges to relax before a 7.35am boarding call.

“We were turned around and told the flight was delayed to 9am. The same thing happened when we came to the board gate at 8:35‚ this time saying it would be at 10 am. At 9:35 we were told the flight was 'delayed'.

“It was then communicated to us‚ after hundreds of passengers had begun to lose their patience (not via a public announcement or a general communication but only on direct request to generally useless airline staff)‚ that the airline had forgotten to do their application with the Civil Aviation Authority to fly today and consequently all SA Express flights were grounded‚” he said.

He said passengers were told that a meeting was taking place and that authorisation would be given soon.

“The meeting‚ we were told‚ would end at 11. At 12pm nothing had happened. People were missing their children's hockey games‚ dearly departed funerals and their life long friends nuptials as the airline failed to take any action. We weren't offered alternative flights‚ nor refunds.

“We were told to wait patiently 5 hours after arriving at the airport. Madness. In lieu of attending my dear friends' wedding in East London I was given a meal voucher for Mugg n Bean.

“To add humour to the already ludicrous situation‚ at 12:30 the passengers of SA Express were all asked to report to their respective gates‚ everyone's mood changed as they phoned their loved ones to say that they were finally boarding and that the situation had finally resolved itself. The passengers were asked to calmly and orderly make their way onto the buses. The buses‚ usually used to transport passengers to awaiting aircraft‚ seemed a good omen after so much toil.

“But no‚ SA Express had one last laugh for us. Purely by virtue of the fact that we were near the bus's door‚ we overheard the 'passenger assistants' discussing how the real plan was to drive the passengers around the airport‚ to the baggage loading area so they could then collect their luggage. When I explained this to my fellow frustrated (would be) travellers‚ some embarked while others‚ nervous to take such news‚ simply sat there‚ hoping for the best‚” the stranded passenger lamented.

MP Nqabayomzi K****wa became one of the first passengers to be stuck in transit as a result of the SA Express airline being grounded due to safety concerns.

"We are now stranded at the airport without any explanation from SAExpress Management‚" he tweeted. And in a Facebook post‚ he added: "Things are falling apart - the centre cannot hold."

When the reason for the cancellation of flights became clear‚ the United Democratic Movement (UDM) Chief Whip in Parliament commented: "#SAExpressGounded - I must say that some of us who sit in the PC on Public Enterprises saw this coming."

In mid-April‚ SA Express executives appeared before parliament’s select committee on public accounts (Scopa).

Scopa members expressed concern about the lateness and quality of SAX’s financial statements‚ which contained material misstatements‚ and their failure to meet nearly half their targets.

 

[cr@zydude]

FFS, I'm meant to fly from PE to CT on Monday. Sort this *** out!

 

[schumi]

[video=youtube;K7jd1Go-w98]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7jd1Go-w98[/video]

 

[Georgios]

The start of the end for them.

 

[ponder]

The start of the end for them.

Nope.

 

[schumi]

SAX passengers to be 'accommodated on alternative carriers'

Cape Town - SA Express says it has clarity on what the SACAA needs it to do in order to legally obtain its license to start operating again and has submitted "the correct and required paperwork to comply with the South African Civil Aviation Authority’s (SACAA) procedural requirements".

On Saturday the SACAA temporarily suspended SA Express’ Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC), citing serious safety concerns related to inadequate monitory systems, after two specific audits carried out on 19 and 20 April. Corrective measures in response to this had been rejected by the SACAA and its AOC suspended.

More at:http://traveller24.news24.com/News/...accommodated-on-alternative-carriers-20160501

 

[schumi]

Irate passengers: Why is SA Express not answering the phone?

Cape Town - Why is SA Express not answering its phones? This is the question on many a stranded passenger's mind as the airline waits on the SACAA to approve its resubmitted documents.

SA Express was temporarily suspended on Saturday following what the SACAA describes as "serious safety concerns related to inadequate monitoring systems". The airline said it hopes to have a decision by the end of Sunday 01 May on whether the resubmitted corrective measures are in accordance with the requirements of the SACAA. But until then passengers have been advised that they will be "accommodated on alternative airlines".

More at:http://traveller24.news24.com/News/...s-sa-express-not-answering-the-phone-20160501

 

[schumi]

SA Express suspension lifted

Cape Town - The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has lifted the suspension of SA Express’ Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

This means that the airline may, with immediate effect, resume operating their fleet of 26 aircraft. The lifting of the suspension comes a day after the operator’s AOC privileges were temporarily withdrawn by the SACAA, after recent inspections and audits revealed deficiencies relating to the operator’s safety monitoring systems.

More at:http://traveller24.news24.com/News/Flights/sa-express-grounding-lifted-20160501

 

[ponder]

So all the issues were sorted out in a day?

 

[schumi]

So all the issues were sorted out in a day?

I think the first plan to sort out the issues were rejected so it was just a matter of resubmitting a new plan and it was an issue of how they monitor the safety rather than a physical problem

 

[Gordon_R]

Grounded again, this time by debts to ACSA: https://www.traveller24.com/News/Flights/pay-up-sax-told-as-acsa-keeps-suspension-in-place-20190829

Airports Company South Africa says it communicated to SA Express on 27 August 2019 that it would not be allowed to depart from any of the company’s nine airports from 10am on Wednesday 28 August 2019 - due to outstanding debt.

"SA Express was informed that the suspension will remain in place until all outstanding amounts are settled. Airports Company South Africa remains a well-run and profitable state-owned company that follows the relevant legislation and regulation, adheres to good governance and applies its policies. Key among these policies is management of debtors."

 

[Paul_S]

FFS, I'm meant to fly from PE to CT on Monday. Sort this *** out!

If I have a choice I prefer to use services that have no link to our present government.

1. I don't trust anything the government has a finger in even if there is paper work to say that due process has been followed. Who's to say that some safety concerns haven't been swept under the carpet to keep an airline in the air?
The SACAA are not independent and there is political interference so if you can't trust the watchdog then you can't trust the state linked company they oversee/audit either.
There is likely a higher probability that safety issues won't be swept under the rug if you're a privately operated airline competing against a state owned/linked airline.

2. I'd rather see these SOE or state linked companies fail and close down so that my hard earned tax money is not used to bail them out year after year. It's time to put them out of there misery.
There are enough private competitors who can service the public without putting train on the fiscus so rather fly with them unless you have no choice.

 

[Gordon_R]

Flights to resume after partial payment of arrears: https://www.traveller24.com/News/Fl...ts-resume-after-partial-payment-made-20190830