Tiger Airways Australia has suspended domestic operations, throwing the plans of thousands of travellers, especially during a busy school holiday period, into disarray.
The move, which took place yesterday, July 2, 2011, followed orders by the country's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which said a series of incidents had raised questions about its airworthiness. To permit it to continue to fly, the body said, posed “a serious and imminent risk to air safety”.
In March, CASA presented the low-cost carrier with a show-cause notice, which placed a number of conditions on its air operators' certificate, including improving the proficiency of pilots, pilot training and check-in processes, implementing changes to fatigue management, enhancing maintenance control and ongoing airworthiness systems and ensuring appropriately qualified people filled in management and operational positions.
CASA has been monitoring Tiger Airways these past months, but further incidents have erroded the agency's confidence that it can continue to fly safely. The supension is in place from yesterday for five days, during which time CASA must apply to the Federal Court for an extension of grounding so it can launch a full investigation into the matter.
The airline admitted the ban stemmed from two previous incidents involving aircraft flying dangerously low. It has vowed to cooperate with CASA.
It has also promised inconvenienced passengers full refunds or ticket credits.
Margie T Logarta
