Time to buck up, Malindo told
BY MAZWIN NIK ANIS
PETALING JAYA: The Department of Civil Aviation, which has spotted several “shortcomings” in Malindo Air’s operations, has given the airline six months to rectify the problems.
DCA director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman (pic) said an annual audit was conducted on the airline last month and his department had compiled a “list of findings” which required rectification.
Among others, the DCA ordered Malindo Air to resolve its documentations, management of aircraft and flight operations.
The airline’s operating licence expired on Feb 28 and the department had approved a six-month extension until Aug 31 to allow the company to concentrate on resolving the problems, he added.
“There are positive signs Malindo Air will rectify the problems we have pointed out to them. In fact, some of them have already been corrected.
“Once these problems are cleared, we will decide the validity period of the airline’s operating licence,” he told The Star.
The normal practice is for the DCA to issue an operating licence to an airline for a period of one year or a maximum of two years.
Despite the findings that need to be resolved, Azharuddin stressed that the airline had not committed any serious violation.
“Otherwise, we would have grounded them and not given the six-month extension,” he said.
Azharuddin added that Malindo Air was not the only airline which the department had ordered to resolve certain issues before it could have its operating licence renewed.
He was confident the airline would resolve all its issues before August, adding that the department was monitoring its “rectification works in order for us to approve the operating licence”.
Malindo Air, which began operations in March last year, is a joint venture between National Aerospace and Defence Industries and Lion Air of Indonesia.
Malindo Air denies operation offences, lodges police report
Malindo Air CEO Chandran Rama Muthy says the airline has lodged a police report over a fake statement targeting the airline, allegedly issued by the Department of Civil Aviation. — File pic
KUALA LUMPUR, March 22, 2015:
Malindo Air has rubbished as “fake” a statement allegedly issued by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) that stated the airline was a given a warning after having committed 90 offences in its operations.
Malindo Air chief executive officer Chandran Rama Muthy said the findings were untrue and has lodged a report on the matter.
“There is no such thing on the 90 findings, it’s all not true. We will issue an official statement on the matter tomorrow.
“We have also lodged a police report on this, this morning. It’s a serious issue and is damaging,” he told The Rakyat Post.
In the alleged DCA statement circulated, it was claimed that Malindo Air was given a last warning by the DCA after the company’s operational licence expired on Feb 28.It also alleged that during the renewal process, DCA, in its audit of the company, found 90 alleged offences committed involving flight operations, aircraft maintenance, engineering, pilot licencing and safety.
“The DCA is extremely dissatisfied with the matter and only issued a temporary licence of six months, with the condition that all 90 offences must be rectified immediately,” the statement purportedly by DCA said.
“DCA also informed Malindo Air that all passengers who will board its flights after Aug 31 must be told of the possibility of flight cancellations,” claimed the statement.
Read more: http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/03/22/malindo-air-denies-operation-offences-lodges-police-report/#ixzz3VCFhKQpW
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