Seair-I, Skyjet undertake corrective measures on safety issues

MANILA, Philippines – The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is checking the corrective safety measures that the suspended Southeast Asia Airlines International Incorporated (Seair-I) and Magnum Air Incorporated (SkyJet) are undertaking.

CAAP suspended Seair-I and SkyJet’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC) on May 18 for their apparent failure to meet the prescribed rules and standards under the Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations (PCAR). Among the issues cited were flight data monitoring, quality assurance, airworthiness, and maintenance control.

On May 22, a Pasay Regional Trial Court issued a 20-day temporary restraining order versus CAAP and its agents for implementing the suspension. It said the order was clearly “irregular, not valid, and issued without due process of law.”

With the TRO in place, SkyJet resumed its flights Monday, May 24.

For verification

Since then, CAAP Director General William Hotchkiss lll has met with Magnum Air president Dino Reyes Chua and Seair-I chairman Irene Dornier to discuss their full compliance and the corrective actions taken.

During the meeting, both airline executives said the concerns raised would help improve their system in line with their safety philosophy.

Passengers’ safety is paramount and that airlines must comply with global aviation safety regulations and as an exercise in good corporate governance, Hotchkiss earlier said.

Hotchkiss said the 15 compliance submitted by Seair-I and the 8 compliance submitted by SkyJet on the observation issues raised by aviation experts from the European Union (EU) are now the subject of inspections and validation by CAAP principal operators and inspectors.

Apart from Seair-I and SkyJet, other carriers that applied to be removed from the EU banned list included Air Asia, Air Asia Zest, Air Philippine, South East Asian Airlines, and Island Aviation.

Seair-I flies to Basco in Batanes, Caticlan, and Tablas Island in Romblon from Manila with a fleet of two turbo-prop Dornier 328 aircraft. Skyjet, meanwhile, is owned by the Solar Group and flies to Basco, Batanes, as well as Busuanga in Palawan from Manila with its BAE 146-100 and Dornier 328 aircraft. – Rappler.com