The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has suspended the air operator certificates (AOC) of low-cost carrier SEAIR International, Inc. and leisure airline Magnum Air (Skyjet), Inc. and ordered them to cease all operations effective May 18. The suspension came after results of a recent assessment by a visiting assessment team from the European Union showed significant safety concerns.
In separate letters dated May 15 and addressed to SEAIR president Avelino Zapanta and Capt. Teodoro Fojas of Magnum Air, CAAP said the emergency suspension referred to the report submitted by the EU assessment team following its visit to the country on April 16 to April 24. The letters were served to the two airline officials on May 18.
The five-man assessment team made the visit to check on any improvements done on their safety oversight systems by Philippine carriers that are still banned from flying to Europe. Aside from SEAIR and Magnum Air, other carriers blacklisted by the EU are Air Asia Inc., Air Asia Zest, Air Philippines Corp, Island Aviation Inc., and South East Asian Airlines.
Only flag carrier Philippine Airlines and low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific Air are not on the banned list. The prohibition against PAL was lifted in 2013, and that against Cebu Pacific in 2014. The removal of the ban opened up more opportunities for the two local airlines to penetrate the EU market.
For SEAIR, CAAP said the EU report yielded 15 observations covering different areas ranging from management structure, SMS and accident prevention to flight safety program and flight data management.
For Magnum Air, the report made eight observations, which covered flight data monitoring and quality assurance to airworthiness and maintenance control.
“Considering results of said assessment visit and upon investigation made by the undersigned (CAAP director general William Hotchkiss III), there are significant safety concerns in commercial air transport and the public interest require that the same be properly given immediate corrective actions,” the letters said.
CAAP said the suspension of the AOCs will only be lifted once the two airlines have taken full compliance and corrective actions.
In a text message to PortCalls, CAAP media relations officer Eric Apolonio said the regulatory agency did not give a deadline to the two carriers for compliance.
As of press time, CAAP has not received any reaction from the two airlines.
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