LISTEN: SA Express could take to the skies again
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says SA Express will be ready to fly as soon as the fifth and final phase of its process to re-certify the airline for operation is complete.
SA Express had their certification suspended in May due to safety concerns.
The CAA’s Simon Segwabe says the airline has had its Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) certification approved and is now on the final phase to ensure that the airline is suitable to fly.
"The certification process follows a structured process, a five-phase certification, basically they lodge the application and the operator expects you to admit the relevant documentation, which we then assess.
"With SA Express we just completed the evaluation we are going to do what we call a demonstration phase."
He says the airline will now have to prove that it can meet safety standards.
“One of the demonstrations is to conduct several tests flight with them to demonstrate to us that they are indeed able to support the kind of operation they've applied for," he explains.
Segwaba says it could be quite a drawn-out process and it is therefore difficult to say when the airline will be operational again.
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In a statement, SA Express says its focus has been on addressing the root causes that led to the grounding and ensuring that it does not happen again.
"As soon as the SA Express AOC has been reinstated by the CAA, the airline will be ready to again fly its passengers in comfort and safety," the airline says.