Madagascar: tensions in the private civil aviation sector

Storm wind in Madagascar in the private civil aviation sector. In recent months, several private aviation companies on the island have been forced to lower the curtain, for lack of mandatory documents to navigate and perform maintenance on their aircraft. Result: a hundred employees on technical unemployment, twenty planes grounded, and bosses and owners of aircraft exasperated by unclear arguments put forward by the Malagasy administration.

On the tarmac of Ivato International Airport, private and private airlines' planes have seen better days. © Sarah Tétaud/RFI

Text by: RFI Follow

Advertising

Read more

With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Sarah Tétaud

On January 23, a Piper, a small plane leased by a private and belonging to the majority shareholder of one of the largest private airlines in the country crashed on the island. The pilot dies. The maintenance of the aircraft being recent, bad weather conditions are quickly pointed out.

The aviation company, however, is worried. An audit is carried out, several non-conformities are noted. The same day, the CTA, the Air Operator Certificate of the company is suspended by the Malagasy civil aviation. Despite the proposals for corrective actions proposed the following days by the company and despite the verbal validations carried out by the inspectors, the suspension is not lifted.

Things take a turn for the worse when on May 7, it is the turn of the approval of the company's maintenance workshop to expire. "Everything is in order for the renewal of the certificate," attest several sources within the Malagasy Civil Aviation. "But the documents are awaiting signature from the director general," we are told.

In the absence of a signature, the workshop closes in turn. Problem, it is the only one to be approved to carry out the maintenance of devices belonging to individuals and those of other companies. In mid-May, a second company did not obtain the renewal of its certificates; Their pilots are now at risk of losing their licences.

As a result, nearly a hundred workers in the sector are now furloughed. About twenty planes are grounded, including school planes. Competition is drastically reduced and the situation suggests the gradual formation of a monopoly of a few companies to operate private flights and medical evacuations.

Contacted, the Director General of Civil Aviation did not wish to speak.

Newsletter Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

Read on on the same topics:

• Madagascar
• Aeronautics