Saratov Airlines cease operations on May 31

Russian aviation authorities have taken the decision to cancel the airline’s AOC

After a period of uncertainty over the fate of Saratov Airlines, the Russian aviation authorities have taken the final decision to cancel the airline’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC) thereby killing any hope that the regional carrier may resume operations.

“Based on the findings of random inspections conducted by Rosaviatsiya in the aftermath of Saratov Airlines’ An-148 crash on February 11, 2018, after a period designated for eliminating its [safety] flaws [Rosaviatsiya] cancels the airline’s AOC. The airline demonstrated a perfunctory approach to correcting the non compliances and absence of due control on the part of its management,” reads an official notice of Russia’s Transport ministry.

The AOC is cancelled starting May 31, Rosaviatsiya commented, saying the decision is a “compelled measure”, dictated by the airline’s failure to correct its flaws in due time. “A random inspection of flight assignments, crew working time sheets and other documents for April and May […] revealed that the violations continue and tend to be systematic,” the regulator says in a statement.

On May 30 the Rosaviatsiya held a meeting of a crisis group, assigned with the task to ensure that all passengers who hold Saratov Airlines’ tickets are delivered to their destinations timely (airline’s route network includes 18 scheduled destinations). The meeting was attended by Transport ministry and Rosaviatsiya officials, as well as representatives of Saratov Airlines and those carriers, which may be involved in taking care of the distress airline’s passengers. Transport ministry has already reported that return flights for all passengers from Antalya, Turkey to Samara have been arranged.

The regulator is working with Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Ural Airlines, UTair, UVT-Aero, RusLine, NordStar, Yakutiya Airlines, Yamal Airlines, Red Wings and Nordavia on elaborating solutions for the rest of the passengers by introducing additional flights. The most loaded flights are from Moscow and Saint Petersburg to Saratov. The transportation of Saratov Airlines’ passengers will be in effect until June 13, beyond that date the passengers will have an opportunity to return their unused tickets, the ministry said.

Another pending issue is operation of Saratov Airport, which together with the airline made up the local aviation enterprise (the practice used universally during the Soviet Union, but discontinued in the majority of larger airports throughout the country). Saratov Airlines, the operator of the airport, said that starting on June 1, 2018 Saratov’s Centralny Airport will be operated on schedule – from 0800 to 1300 local time, and from 1500 to 2200, but claims, that all filed flights will be handled properly. Previously company threatened to close down all operations at the airport should its AOC be revoked.

by ES in Air Transport

Photo:FPP - Frankfurt