SAA grounding lifted
The Namibian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), formerly known as the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA) last Thursday lifted its grounding rights of a South African Airways (SAA) aircraft at the Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA) after it had denied the aircraft permission to depart because the airline's foreign air operator permit has expired.
The NCAA said in a statement issued late on Thursday that it had issued a Foreign Operator Permit (FOP) to SAA. The FOP issued for a period of one year had expired and no renewal had been made on time to ensure that the SAA aircraft had a valid FOP into Namibia, an authority from NCAA said.
NCAA said an application is now being processed along with safety inspections and audit that is being scheduled as part of the renewal process.
Only one flight to Johannesburg was affected. The NCAA stressed the aircraft departure was delayed pending the initial resolution of the safety issue.
There are three daily flights from Johannesburg to HKIA and back.
The South African media last year reported that the airline was looking for a N$16 billion from financiers which it reportedly needed to meet its funding and working requirements, as well as to help mediate its mounting debt.
It was then reported that the airline had less than N$100 million left of its N$6 billion guarantee extended in early 2005 but the national treasury had refused to bail it out until it could prove its financial independence. It was also expected that SAA would report heavy operating losses by the end of last year.
Catherine Sasman
The NCAA said in a statement issued late on Thursday that it had issued a Foreign Operator Permit (FOP) to SAA. The FOP issued for a period of one year had expired and no renewal had been made on time to ensure that the SAA aircraft had a valid FOP into Namibia, an authority from NCAA said.
NCAA said an application is now being processed along with safety inspections and audit that is being scheduled as part of the renewal process.
Only one flight to Johannesburg was affected. The NCAA stressed the aircraft departure was delayed pending the initial resolution of the safety issue.
There are three daily flights from Johannesburg to HKIA and back.
The South African media last year reported that the airline was looking for a N$16 billion from financiers which it reportedly needed to meet its funding and working requirements, as well as to help mediate its mounting debt.
It was then reported that the airline had less than N$100 million left of its N$6 billion guarantee extended in early 2005 but the national treasury had refused to bail it out until it could prove its financial independence. It was also expected that SAA would report heavy operating losses by the end of last year.
Catherine Sasman
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