South African Airways (SAA) cancelled flights to Malawi’s major international airport, Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) on Friday as the airport risks being blacklisted over aviation safety issues reports Malawi’s Nyasa Times.
However SAA notified its customers that it had cancelled flights to Lilongwe, Malawi due to a change in category status and resultant conditions at the airport “which are currently not compatible with prescribed operational requirements for SAA to continue its scheduled services to and from Lilongwe”.
“We operate within a highly regulated industry and must always ensure compliance with the prescribed requirements set out by the regulating authorities,” says Tlali Tlali, SAA Spokesperson.
SAA confirmed customers would be able to re-book there flights under certain terms and conditions – Tickets must be re-issued on/before 22 April 2016, travel must commence on/before 22 April 2016.
Malawi’s government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati stated that operations will resume soon. Further saying that the government is waiting for fire fighters before SAA can resume their operations according to Malawi 24.
Malawi’s Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has warned that delays in addressing aviation safety issues could put the country’s airport at the risk of being blacklisted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe warned shared the same sentiments.
DAC director Alfred Mtilatila said the electrical voltage system at the KIA had outlived its lifespan says to the Nyasa Times.
Source: cctv-africa.com
