Airlines’ unserviceable equipment affect domestic flight

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

SOLOMON Airlines clarified that the reschedule of many of its domestic flights in the recent past is because of unserviceable equipment.

Solomon Airlines reports that the shortfalls are from weather radar, difficulties in obtaining spare parts, flooded runway surfaces due to bad weather and heavy rain.

Solomon Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Mr Brett Gebers said, “Our domestic aircraft operate in harsh conditions caused primarily by the state of the runways that we operate to.”

He said rough surfaces of domestic runways cause significant vibration during landing and take-off phases which amplified deterioration in certain parts of the aircraft.

“And often this leads to premature failure of components,” he adds.

The failure of these components result in schedule disruptions as we must make appropriate repairs on aircraft, he said.

“We are not responsible for maintaining the runway surfaces throughout the Solomon Islands.”

Gebers elaborates because of ongoing high costs for maintenance and cancelled or rescheduled flights, Solomon Airlines have offered to pay, and carry out required runway rehabilitation work on many occasions.

But each time they have have been denied approval to do the required work, he said.

Gebers said all airlines experience technical problems and disruptions to their services are from time to time.

“While most have large fleet of aircraft which allows them to minimize effects of disruption through rescheduling flights, we only have small fleet of aircraft, so all delays and cancelations are immediately obvious to all concern,” he said.

Gebers explained that their customers, passengers and crew are of paramount importance and they must come first in their services.

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