Air Antilles Express is crossing a new zone of turbulence. The company’s planes are grounded on the runways of the Pôle Caraïbes (Guadeloupe) and Aimé Césaire (Martinique) airports. The General Directorate of Civil Aviation has withdrawn the carrier’s certificates from the company
(In French) Source: la1ere.francetvinfo.fr
The General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC), whose mission is to guarantee the safety and security of air transport, has blocked since Friday August 27, 2021 (8 p.m.) the entire fleet of the Air Antilles company .
The DGAC, gendarme of the aviation sector, controls daily and implements actions likely to improve safety. For this organization, instruments and equipment should be overhauled at intervals sufficient to ensure their correct functioning at all times.
Regarding Air Antilles Express, deficiencies in the maintenance of the fleet of 11 aircraft were noted. Aircraft maintenance schedules are not being respected. The DGAC has informed the owners of Air Antilles Express and in particular the majority shareholder, Compagnie Aérienne Inter Régionale Express (CAIRE), owned by Eric Koury.
The companies have, in addition to the responsibility of the air service, that of the maintenance and repairs of their aircraft. Since Friday August 27 (8 p.m.) the Guadeloupe company no longer has a carrier’s certificate. No flight with passengers can be provided.
All rotations scheduled for this Saturday August 28 between Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin, Dominica and the Caribbean Islands are canceled.
Another direct impact is that the regional airline has a direct relationship with Air France under an agreement signed in October 2012 for the marketing and sale of seats on routes between Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, Sainte Lucie and Cayenne.
It is a race against time which is engaged by Air Antilles Express. The company strongly impacted by the health situation was counting on the revival of its rotations. It must review its maintenance program and have it approved by civil aviation to return quickly to the skies of the Antilles and the Caribbean.
#AirAntilles 11 avions (7 ATR et 4 Twin Otter) suspendus de vol sur décision @DGAC. En cause: butées calendaires non respectées pour la maintenance des appareils ( sources concordantes). @EricKoury, PDG, espère une levée de la mesure sous 48 heures. @guadeloupela1e pic.twitter.com/hDSxO7xeT9
— Eric Stimpfling (@StimpflingEric) August 28, 2021
