Comair has secured an injunction from the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria against the proposed suspension of its domestic air services licence by the Air Services Licensing Council.
Comair is under investigation for alleged non-compliance with the Air Services Licensing Act since it failed to apply for a licence amendment after undertaking a share repurchase programme. The airline was also accused of exceeding the restrictions on foreign shareholding. The Council was notified of this supposed non-compliance by rival FlySafair, which later withdrew its complaint. The council pursued the investigation and set May 11 as a deadline for compliance, hence the recent court ruling. The injunction allows Comair to continue to operate the court has reviewed the council’s ruling that Comair does not comply with its license conditions with regard to foreign shareholding.
Comair CEO Erik Venter has stated that it is not in breach of the Act and has accused the Council of incorrect processes in proposing to suspend its licence by not issuing a formal notice and holding a formal hearing. More details will emerge from the next court hearing on May 18.