Brown said in a statement she had noted the SACAA’s temporary suspension of SA Express’s AOC and was providing “all the necessary support to management of SA Express to resolve this matter”.

“Therefore I have tasked the department’s director general, Mr Mogokare Seleke, to lead talks with the CAA to resolve this matter.

“Finally, as shareholder representative of SA Express, I apologise to passengers who have been inconvenienced by the suspension of the company’s certificate. I wish to refer them to the SA Express offices and website www.flyexpress.aero for measures the airline has put in place to deal with enquiries,” Brown said.

Earlier on Saturday, the SACAA said it had suspended SA Express’s AOC for failing to comply with the applicable civil aviation regulations.

The suspension was effective immediately on Saturday, the authority said in a statement.

“It is critical to note that this suspension is precautionary and taken in the interest of safety and preventing incidents that can be catastrophic. The suspension, which is in terms of Part 185 of the Civil Aviation Regulations, pertains to the operator’s AOC – N399D, S370D, I/N002, and I/S001.”

The suspension followed a “series of non-compliances” and the SACAA’s dissatisfaction with the operator’s safety monitoring systems which were meant to monitor and address any safety deficiencies. The regulator also found the operator’s proposed corrective action plan inadequate as it did not satisfactorily address the findings raised.

“The SACAA wishes to point out that recent inspections and audits on the airline’s operations have pointed to inefficient safety monitoring systems and some level of failure by the operator to satisfactorily address concerns raised by the regulator.

“The SACAA views the inefficiency of the safety monitoring systems in a serious light as it poses serious safety hazards and risks to the crew, passengers, and the public at large. For this reason, the regulator cannot allow the operator to continue with operations until such time that the identified safety concerns are adequately addressed,” it said.

As much as the SACAA had a duty to help operators comply with applicable regulations the primary responsibility was on operators to ensure that their operations were safe and secure at all times.

Failure to do so was a contravention of the applicable civil aviation regulations. Moreover, aviation safety and security were of paramount importance in this industry, and passengers required some form of assurance that once they boarded an aircraft they would automatically land safely and hassle-free at their intended destination.

The SACAA said it was receiving full co-operation from SA Express and would provide any assistance possible, and within the regulator’s mandate, to ensure that the matter was resolved as soon as possible.

As much as the SACAA was fully aware of the effect and disruptions the suspension had on passengers, it was equally important to note that the decision was not taken lightly and was in the interest of ensuring that the operator’s safety systems were beyond reproach and could offer an acceptable level of safety for passengers and crew.

The SACAA would always remain committed to meeting its obligations and keeping South Africans and those using the country’s airspace safe. The regulator was also dedicated to upholding the country’s impeccable zero percent accident fatality rate in terms of scheduled operations.

Unsafe operations had the potential to undermine the growth and development of the aviation industry as well as the country’s highly regarded civil aviation safety and security standards. Aviation safety and security should always be prioritised ahead of commercial gains.

“In terms of Part 185 of the civil aviation regulations the operator has the right to appeal the decision with the director of civil aviation within 30 days from the date of receipt of the suspension notice,” the SACAA said.

ANA