SA Express plans to resume its flight schedules in the next few weeks following the reinstatement of its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).
“We are delighted that the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) lifted the suspension of our AOC licence on Thursday. It is our intention to progressively re-introduce our flight schedules over the next few weeks,” said SA Express Acting CEO, Matsietsi Mokholo.
“We wish to thank the SACAA, the government and all our partners for their assistance while we were addressing the regulator’s operational requirements. We thank all our valued passengers, as well as our loyal staff, for their understanding,” Mokholo said.
“It’s all systems go now. Over the next few days, we will complete the process to get our additional aircraft added to the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC). We are not only coming back stronger but even more energised. We are confident that we will win back our market share and grow our business in the coming months and years,” Mokholo said.
The move by South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) to reinstate SA Express’s Air Operator’s Certificate(AOC) comes a month after the suspension of the airline’s Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) license was also lifted.
With the two certificates - the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) - now reinstated, SA Express is free to resume its flights — and to that extent, the airline is working closely with South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) to get the necessary certificates of Airworthiness for all its aircraft.
Scheduled approvals are done on an aircraft by aircraft basis and at this stage, the CAA has completed its review of only two aircraft.
South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) suspended SA Express’s Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) approvals, as well as the Certificates of Airworthiness for nine of its 21 aircraft on May 24 this year, after it had conducted an audit of its maintenance processes and procedures.