British Airways-operator Comair still grounded in South Africa

South African carrier Comair Ltd. remained grounded on Monday after being suspended indefinitely by the country’s aviation regulator pending a review of concerns raised about safety.

The operator of IAG SA-owned British Airways flights in the country and the domestic low-cost airline Kulula has provided a response that is being reviewed, the Civil Aviation Authority said Sunday. The ruling follows a spate of incidents “affecting a concerning number of flights,” the regulator said, without being more specific.

Comair said it’s awaiting further feedback and is unable to confirm when it can resume flights. The Johannesburg-based company controls about 40% of South Africa’s aviation capacity, the group said. 

“We have since received an acknowledgment that the information has been received, but no other formal communication has been received to date,” Chief Executive Officer Glenn Orsmond said in a statement.

Some Comair passengers left stranded in Johannesburg are being forced to rebook on other airlines at inflated prices, the eNCA news channel reported. 

Comair went into administration during the Covid-19 crisis, which grounded much of the world’s aircraft fleet. The company was later revived by private investors. 

It operates a fleet of 26 Boeing Co. jets, mostly 737-800s, according to the website.