Joanita Lloyd from Bloemfontein, a passenger of CemAir, stated that she had booked her flight two weeks ahead. “I booked my flight two weeks prior in order to be assured of a seat. It was a stressful situation when the travelling agency had to book a seat at another airline on such short notice, since I wasn’t guaranteed a seat until a day before my flight. CemAir has always been on time with its flights. It is such a pity that there are so many uncertainties,” she said.

This comes after CemAir aircraft were grounded by the South African Civil Aviation Authority on Friday.

Inspectors found that unqualified personnel in the airline’s maintenance department had been servicing and releasing aircrafts back into service or had cleared them as airworthy.

CemAir said that meetings were held with the regulator on Saturday, which had resulted in an agreement of the steps required to resolve the matter.

It was decided that both organisations would commit the necessary resources to expedite the action items and processes needed to resume the service.

The airline is making alternative arrangements for passengers where possible, whether it be from Bloemfontein, George, Cape Town, Plettenberg Bay, Port Elizabeth, Margate or Hoedspruit.

In an email sent by a travelling agency to all passengers whose booked CemAir flights had to be cancelled, it was stated that refunds are not guaranteed. CemAir, on the other hand, stated that passengers could apply for a refund. “We are working closely with other carriers to accommodate our passengers with minimum inconvenience. Alternatively, all passengers can apply for a full refund,” CemAir confirmed.

The airline stated that it remains committed to serving its passengers and regretted the inconvenience caused by the interruption of service.

Bloemfontein Courant/Jeretha Oosthuizen