The Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) has temporarily grounded seven of fourteen Dash 8 Q400 aircraft operated by regional carrier Sky Alps. The airline is due to open a base in Mostar this summer season. A team of ENAC inspectors conducted an audit at Sky Alps' headquarters in Bolzano between February 26 and 28. “Following documentary checks and physical inspections of the aircraft, all registered with the Civil Aviation Directorate of Malta, a series of non-conformities emerged”, ENAC said in a statement. The regulator noted there were deficiencies in the aircraft maintenance certifications with respect to the flight safety requirements. Certifications provided by a particular maintenance technician were discovered “not to be compliant”. He has subsequently been prohibited from accessing airports where the carrier operates.
Although Sky Alps officially has fourteen aircraft in its fleet, four have been grounded since 2020, and following the measures issued by ENAC, only one turboprop remains in service. The Italian regulator has said Sky Alps is fully cooperating with authorities over the matter. “For these aircraft, the return to service may take place on completion of appropriate corrective actions”, ENAC noted. Sky Alps itself has not commented on the matter. The airline started operations in June 2021 as a virtual carrier and secured its Air Operator's Certificate in January 2023.
The development comes just two months ahead of the opening of Sky Alps’ base in Mostar. This partnership was established following a successful bid by Sky Alps in a tender designed to attract carriers by providing subsidies for basing aircraft in the city. The government of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton has set aside just over 176.000 euros for Sky Alps to open its base. The carrier will introduce flights from Mostar to Bergamo, Palermo, Naples and Bari this summer, complementing services to Rome and Munich, which were launched last year.
Not good
ReplyDeleteMore like terrible.
DeleteThis is a quite a suprise...unpleasant one for sure.
DeleteStuff like this can break a small airline like SkyAlps. Hopefully they recover but with only 1 aircraft in operation, it's looking grim
DeleteSo they falsified maintenance records?
ReplyDeleteYep.
DeleteWhich means the particular aircrafts involved can not be operated by any other airline.
Maybe in Iran but that's it.
That's crazy.
DeleteBut how is it the airline's fault if a lone maintenance technician was falsifying reports.
DeleteIt is their employee. And I doubt he was doing it because he was crazy. It saves an airline a lot of money skipping on proper maintenance protocols.
DeleteBut once they find out your aircraft can not be trusted since nobody knows what has been actually maintained, what issues have been there NOT recorded and what parts needed changing but they weren't. Or if proper parts were even used.
No other operator would accept such an aircraft.
I can't believe that you seriously ask this question ⁉️
DeleteNot really, they struggled to perform proper inspections. This will cost them a lot but an independent thorough examination of every airplane and part will lead to them being reintroduced to operations.
DeleteWill they have enough money? Remember they also have to pay out compensation for affected passengers on existing flights and under EU regulations that will be a lot of money.
Delete@09:50 you mean a D-check. Do you know how much it costs and how long it might take?
DeleteOr what value these old Q-400s have currently? It is cheaper for the airline to sell them for scrap.
@Anon 9:01
DeleteNo, the company didnt falsify anything. If you actually bothered to read, with understanding, what Admin quoted, the issue is that one technician had his certifications expire, which technically makes his work out of order by Part M standards
YOU CAN'T COME BACK FROM THAT AS AN AIRLINE, ESPECIALLY A SMALL ONE.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately this is the end for them.
+1
DeleteIs this for real? Wow!! That's horrible.
DeleteAirline business is expensive sport, without huge experience and proper experienced team don't do it! But SkyAlps will fly!
DeleteWill they be able to bring those planes back into service by May?
ReplyDeleteEven if they do. Who would want to fly with them?
DeleteThey will be out of business before that.
DeleteI also don't think they will be able to survive this. They actually have quite a few scheduled flights. They will now have to cancel 98% of flights until this is resolved, and it will take time. They will have to compensate passengers etc. Big hit for small airline like someone said.
DeleteMaybe they will activate some of the planes that have been grounded for years.
Delete^ That would be terribly expensive as well.
DeleteSkyAlps was warned in advance and hired wet leases to cover the flights. They have good financial backing from everyone. They will be ok
DeleteThese Malta registered aircraft are always dodgy when it comes to smallish operators like them.
ReplyDeleteMany airlines register planes in Malta because it is cheaper.
DeleteIt also has lax laws and requirements. That's why they register ships in Malta too.
DeleteSo lax laws is why Wizz Air and Ryanair registered planes in Malta?
DeleteYes
DeleteHe is talking about small airlines with a handful of aircraft. They definitely choose Malta over other countries because of their lax laws on top of smaller fees.
Deletelol lax rules lol good one.
DeleteThis is what happened with JU's second E195. They found that the documentation did not match up and that's why they never introduced it into service. Some were claiming that is impossible since the plane was coming from an EU airline.
ReplyDeleteJU had plenty of time to get other used E-jets but they weren't particularly keen doing so.
DeleteAnon 09:04 was talking about particular plane that should have joined JU fleet and not about any other.
DeleteThe point is in maintenence problem.
Did something similar happened with documentation for one of the Embraers for AS, YU ATA i think?
Delete^ What are you talking about?
DeleteYes, that's what he is talking about.
DeleteEmbraer yu-ata never operated for Air Serbia.
DeleteIt didn't exactly because there was the same issue like with Skyalps planes now.
DeleteI don't see Mostar being able to find an alternative at this short notice. Wonder what will happen.
ReplyDeleteNo one else was interested in applying for the tender in the first place.
DeleteIf just JU's ATRs could operate from Mostar it would be win win.
DeleteFor JU, as an non-EU airline, would be incredibly hard to operate Mostar flights.
DeleteI was landing in Mostar couple of days ago with Embraer and I was so glad it wasn't ATR. The wind is a bog issue there.
Delete*big
DeleteOh dear!
ReplyDeleteGood thing there are at least alternatives at OMO.
ReplyDeleteTrue that
Deletewow that's crazy!
ReplyDeleteGood on ENAC for identifying these idiots.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, Sky Alps can resolve these issues quickly and get back to full operation before their big launch in Mostar.
ReplyDeleteIs anyone going to fly with them anymore?
DeleteI can guarantee you 98% of people won't even know about this.
DeleteIf you go to their website they are still selling tickets from OMO. I doubt any of the people buying them will ever get a single Euro back...
DeleteThis was very dangerous and could have ended worse.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how this will affect their launch plans and overall customer trust.
ReplyDeleteTruly shocking
ReplyDeleteMostar Airport management should issue a statement.
ReplyDeleteLOL what kind of a statement? That they may as well shut down the airport?
DeleteWhy would they shut down the airport? This summer they have Air Serbia, Croatia Airlines and Eurowings. I think they should issue the statement so there is some clarity as to what will happen with these flights. Tickets are still on sale for these flights.
DeleteDon't forget Ajet too which is launching flights this summer.
DeleteThat subsidy is very low. Seems like Sky Alps wanted to get any money it could.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteNot all airlines are happy as OU.
DeleteMostar could really benefit from the increased connectivity and it would be a shame if these plans collapse.
ReplyDeleteI think everything will be ok.
DeleteWould be advisable for people not to buy tickets for their Mostar flights for the time being.
ReplyDeleteExactly, especially since the airline hasn't even paused ticket sales while this is resolved.
DeleteThey have wet leases covering their operations, and some Q400s will be flying again when OMOs time comes. No need to panic
DeleteIf they pay with credit card, I think the risk is on the credit card.
Delete😂
DeleteSad for Mostar
ReplyDeleteBetter that it happened now then when flights started.
DeleteTrue that
DeleteSo, what does this mean for OMO?
ReplyDeleteWe will have to wait and see but it's not looking good.
DeleteThis will all be sorted by May.
DeleteWas this supposed to be a seasonal or year round base?
ReplyDeleteSeasonal
DeleteDodgy airline.
ReplyDeletewow
ReplyDeleteNuts. Not good at all
ReplyDeleteAnd there goes the canton's money. It would be advisable to cooperate with actual and established airlines. Remember the Lumwings fiasco in Tuzla last year?
ReplyDeleteWell the issue is only these sort of airlines are applying to these tenders.
DeleteBeggars can't be chooses.
DeleteYou pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
DeleteCan someone explain to me what a virtual airline means?
ReplyDeleteAn Airline without aircraft which sell tickets marketed by them but operated by another airline.
DeleteSeems like it is becoming one again lol
DeleteFlights are running smoothly here in Italy thanks to wet lease partners Avanti Air and Luxwings. There have been zero cancellations across all bases and focus cities (BZO, AOI, CRV). Many reportedly “stored” aircraft have never flown a single flight because the company is in the process of acquiring them and waiting for the proper modifications prior delivery.
ReplyDeleteThere’s no point to talk about bankruptcy proceedings and other crazy theories that I read in the comments. Flights are running fine and they definitely will in Mostar.
DeleteIt has been waiting fot 4 years for proper modifications on these aircraft. After this, wouldn't fly this airline if you paid me.
DeleteAnon 10:55 which DH8 are you referring to? What’s the registration? 9H-ALE, -BEL, -EVA, -SOP, -MATY, -PET and -PAUL were the one operated by SkyAlps. The other ones, if you are referring to what you look up online about SkyAlps’ fleet, will be gradually introduced as the airline expands and it has NOT took delivery of them yet, still own and maintained by NAC.
DeleteI would like to see the comments from people who were saying “just pay SkyAlps to open up a base in xyz airport”
ReplyDeleteSurprising that the OMO management didn’t pick up on this first. I’m sure they have a robust inspection system for this.
ReplyDeleteLOL!
DeleteNot surprising at all.
ReplyDeletecould this airline have operated that proposed schedule out of OMO this summer with just 1 aircraft? i dont know what other routes they have? thanks
ReplyDeleteYes it can operate proposed schedule with one aircraft.
DeleteThey will operate the base.
DeleteHope things work out for Mostar's sake.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteHow long will it take for Sky Alps to sort this out? Month or more?
ReplyDelete