Federal court in Montreal refused to cancel a decision by Transport Canada to suspend operational license of the charter airline. The 22-year-old company that runs business and recreational charters appealed several times, but failed.

Since 1993, the Aéropro, the company based out of the Quebec City airport, has been involved in five accidents, including a fatal crash near the Quebec City airport on June 24th that killed seven people. After the last crash, the Transport Canada came into the investigation and at the end of that they concluded that passengers and crews were at risk because allegedly several irregularities in the charter's fleet management practices and record keeping were made. The Transport Canada listed 35 different safety concerns, including problems with training of pilots.

Transport Canada's investigation was prompted by a series of deadly accidents involving Aéropro planes. But the company get passed the safety inspection (with recommendations what it is necessary to fix) just few months ago, in April. So it could mean that the main factor which influenced the final decision of the Transport Canada was the June's accident. The Aéropro has said that they fixed the problems immediately. But Transport Canada has seen the things differently. And that is been the core of the dispute, CTV said. The Aéropro, lost the appeal now. As they say, now they are definitely out of business forever and they do would not anymore try to get their flight license back. The company plans to keep about 10 employees to run meteorological services and airport management services but no more flight services.

The organization representing the airlines in Canada is not satisfied with this situation. CBC reported that the Air Transport Association of Canada agrees that the Transport Canada did not give Aéropro enough notice in this decision and the association also reportedly said that the June's accident should not have been used to justify revoking of the flight license, because the Transportation safety board did not released its report into that accident yet. Analysts are wondering how all this will affect the relationship between the Transport Canada and smaller carriers. Will they report all small safety concerns or they will be afraid to lose their licenses? Will the intention to protect passengers and employees result in opposite way?

Miroslava Hospodarova

Photo: ISIFA