PHILIPPINE aviation regulators suspended low-cost carrier Zest Air’s license on Aug. 16, for several violations of safety regulations.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), which regulates the operational aspect of civilian aviation, wrote Zest Air a letter saying it suspended the carrier’s Air Operator Certificate because of the violations.
“This agency is alarmed of Zest Air’s series of serious deviations and infractions of the rules and standards prescribed under the Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations (PCAR),” CAAP deputy general John Andrews said in the letter addressed to Zest Air chairman Alfredo Yao.
“You are hereby precluded to engage in air carrier operations, which shall take effect upon receipt of this notice/letter and shall remain in effect until this Authority is assured that the necessary corrective actions and compliance with aviation safety standards [have] been undertaken by your airline,” Andrews said.
Zest Air violated, among others, Subsection 9.2.2.2 (a) of PCAR, which requires that operators “shall have an accountable manager… who has corporate authority for ensuring that all flight operations and maintenance activities can be financed and carried out to the highest degree of safety standards,” Andrews said.
The other violations were failure to check aircraft bags, flight manifest, weather, etc.; failure to present an airman license during ramp inspection; series of occurrences like fuel overflow that affected several flight operations; refueling with passengers on board; and excessive flight duty time of pilots.
The violations were committed within the period January 2012 to August 2013, the CAAP said.
