Comair Ltd

COMAIR AVOIDS GROUNDING

Comair has avoided being grounded at the eleventh hour, managing to obtain an interdict against the Air Services Licensing Council (ASLC) from suspending its domestic licence. The airline met with the Council yesterday (May 11) where it asked for another extension to prove to the ASLC that it was compliant with foreign ownership regulations. A decision by the Council is expected soon.

“The ASLC indicated to Comair that they could not provide clarity on their intentions and were undecided on whether or not to suspend Comair’s domestic air services license. As a result of this uncertainty, [yesterday] afternoon Comair obtained an interdict against the ASLC from potentially revoking its license at any time prior to the scheduled interdict hearing set for May 17. Thereafter Comair will have the opportunity to take the decision of the ASLC regarding Comair’s shareholding on review,” the airline said in a statement.

Erik Venter, Comair’s CEO, said: “We have resorted to these extraordinary and urgent measures to ensure we are able to secure operational certainty for the many thousands of travellers being held to ransom over the potential disruption to their important travel plans. We are pleased that this result will place the burden of decision into a court of law where Comair will be afforded a fair opportunity to make representation as to why we are confident in our compliance with the Act.”