According to Shaheen Air International (SAI), the Sindh High Court (SHC) has stated that the private airline does not require fresh documents for the renewal of its license.
The Sindh court has thus rejected the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) order asking Shaheen Air International (SAI) to submit fresh documents for the renewal of its license.
On April 24, the CAA had warned SAI that it would halt the airline’s operations within in 45 days if it failed to provide documents for renewing its long pending RPT license. As a result of this, SAI filed a petition, pleading the court’s intervention in the matter.
SHC ruled that CAA does not have the authority to interfere with any business operations of SAI as long as they adhere to the repayment schedule. Thus, the act of removal of aero bridge [a movable bridge placed against an aircraft door to allow passengers to embark or disembark] and punishing SAI’s passengers is now illegal. Furthermore, a lack of approval of routine new routes is also illegal, it added.
The airline claimed to have suffered substantial losses and damage to its reputation internationally as a result of mishandling of the RPT licence renewal.
The airline authorities claimed that they had applied for permission to fly on the Multan-Muscat route on March 20, 2017, and sent a follow-up letter on April 5. However, the CAA failed to respond without raising any objections. It barred the airline from flying on the new international route on April 23.
“As per clause 352 para 2 and 3 … a month without any objection is deemed to be approved,” the statement said. “In this case, stopping the Multan-Muscat flight from departure is illegal and unjust.”
Requests for flights to Riyadh, Jeddah, Sharjah and Karachi from Faisalabad have also been sent to the CAA, but are still pending.
The delay in issuance of route permits was causing losses as a result of idle aircraft added parking fee, lease payment and other fee to the cost, SAI claimed.
The airline stated a dues payment plan had been submitted with a commitment to clear all outstanding bills by June. The CAA acknowledged the receipt of three instalments, which were cumulatively larger than the amount committed in the payment plan, it said.
SAI also counter argued against CAA’s claims of dues including all the recent payment plans. Moreover, SAI provided the court with documents, showing that it had been paying all dues for the last 24 years and the delay in payments was supported by a payment plan, which was accepted by the CAA, it added.
CAA Director Coordination and Media Management Syed Aamir Mehboob termed Shaheen Air’s statement controversial stating that “SHC has given no word on [SAI’s] Regular Public Transport licence,” he said. In addition, he said that the court had asked SAI to make timely payments on CAA’s dues that amounted to Rs480 million. Furthermore, he added that the court had ruled that the airline is allowed to conduct operations subject to payment of timely dues and until the next hearing scheduled to be on May 8.
