Johannesburg – CemAir's urgent application to overturn the South African Aviation Authority's latest suspension and grounding notice has been dismissed with costs, the regulator said on Thursday.
Cemair had been suspended late in 2018, and again early in January 2019 while SACAA conducted a full audit of the airline.
The ruling was made in the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday.
"The SACAA does not view the Johannesburg High Court’s decision as a victory for the Regulator, but more as a confirmation that the safety of the people will always take precedence when decisions of aviation safety and security are made," SACAA said.
In a statement, the regulator added: "CemAir’s Part 121 and 135 Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) remain suspended until such time that the airline has adequately addressed the safety concerns or findings uncovered by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) during a recent renewal audit."
Without the necessary Operator Certificates, SACAA said, CemAir cannot operate as an airline.
In its statement, SACAA also said the court's decision paved the way for the audit team to "demand the return of the Certificate of Airworthiness for the grounded aircraft, as well as to proceed with their intention to recommend to the Director of the Civil Aviation that CemAir's AOCs be revoked".
A representative for CemAir could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday evening.
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