French Civil Aviation bans Air Antilles for 1 month due to lack of "air worthiness"

French civil aviation executives suspended the commercial and non-commercial flights of the regional carrier Air Antilles. As of August 27, the Guadeloupe-based airline will no longer be able to operate its seven ATRs and four Twin Otters, causing airlines to cancel flights. The suspension has impacted several flights of Air Antilles.

An extended suspension of Air Antilles operations has the potential to massively affect the island communities of the Antilles, as it is the only company that offers connectivity in many areas.

On August 27, the French Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) suspended the commercial and non-commercial operation of the Air Antilles.

The decision was requested by OSAC, a private company commissioned by the French government to carry out administrative and technical verification of Airworthiness, mainly in the name of (but not limited to) the DGAC. The message from DGAC, posted by various media outlets, is as follows:

"During the monitoring of your organization since the starting of 2021, we have witnessed eight major non-conformities, including ATR and twin fleets, which show that your management system does not allow you to monitor compliance with the procedures required for the Airworthiness of these fleets of aircraft and the adequacy of procedures.

In addition, French television reported that OSAC has limited the scope of operations for Air Antilles' single Cessna caravan for one month. To get the removal of suspension, OSAC stated that "adequate corrective action" is required. In addition to this requirement, OSAC wants to put the airline under an intensified surveillance regime for a period of six months.

Compagnie Aérienne Inter Régionale Express (CAIRE) is the parent company of Guyane Express and Air Antilles.