Air Antilles grounded by French DGAC over serious safety system deficiencies
Key Points
- 1French DGAC suspended Air Antilles' operating license immediately, citing serious safety management system deficiencies.
- 2Air Antilles must rectify identified safety shortcomings within one month to regain operational status.
- 3Relaunched in June 2024 after 2023 bankruptcy, Air Antilles' future is uncertain despite recent €3 million funding.
French-Antillean carrier Air Antilles has been grounded after France’s civil aviation authority (DGAC) suspended its operating license with immediate effect. The regulator cited serious shortcomings within the airline’s safety management systems, leading to an instant ban on ticket sales. Affected passengers are being rebooked on flights operated by competitor Air Caraïbes, and Air Antilles has been granted one month to rectify the identified deficiencies and implement necessary corrective measures.
Air Antilles, a crucial regional operator and partner to Sint Maarten-based Winair, has faced significant turbulence recently. Following the bankruptcy of its parent company, Caire, in August 2023, the airline was relaunched in June 2024. This revival was bolstered by a substantial capital injection from the government of the French side of Saint Martin, with the Collectivité of Saint Martin and other partners acquiring shares to maintain vital air connectivity across the smaller islands of the northeastern Caribbean.
Despite an additional funding commitment of approximately €3 million in recent months, the airline's future remains precarious. The latest intervention by the French aviation authority, driven by renewed safety concerns, casts further doubt on the long-term viability of Air Antilles and its critical role in regional air transport infrastructure.
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