Flyglobespan to be prosecuted over Liverpool-New York "safety breach"

May 26 2008

A LOW budget airline which scrapped its transatlantic flights from Liverpool last year because of operational problems is being prosecuted by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) over safety issues.

Flyglobespan faces an unlimited fine over the two charges, relating to a passenger flight between Liverpool John Lennon airport and New York’s JFK airport last year.

The CAA has accused Flyglobespan of operating the Boeing 757 jet illegally, in that the airline allowed the plane to fly in the full knowledge that vital equipment was faulty, and that it subsequently failed to file a safety report to the regulating authority.

It is the first time in 10 years that the CAA has brought such a prosecution against an airline.

Flyglobespan last night insisted that passenger safety was never compromised.

It is believed the CAA’s charges relate to a flight which took place on June 28 last year. It is not known how many passengers were on board.

As the 757 jet was taking off from JFK airport, both its engine pressure ratio gauges failed. The pilot reported the faults on reaching Liverpool.

At that point the plane should have been grounded until at least one of the gauges had been fixed. But the airline authorised it to fly back across the Atlantic with neither gauge working. It was only when the plane returned to New York that it was finally grounded for repairs to be carried out.

The equipment in question measures engine thrust, which is critical during take-off. The engine pressure ratio gauges are on a mandatory list which has to be operational if the 757 is to be certified as airworthy by the CAA.

The prosecution is the latest embarrassment to hit the low budget Scottish airline, which scrapped its New York and Toronto services from Liverpool last October only five months after they were launched in a blaze of publicity by Yoko Ono.

The alleged incident happen- ed in June, the first full month of operation, when more than 3,500 people flew on the route.

Flyglobespan was later hit by the temporary loss of a licence which allowed it to fly directly across the Atlantic.

The CAA suspended the airline’s ETOPs licence, the first time in 15 years it had done somade such a move, forcing the airline to take a longer route which kept it within 60 minutes of an airport at all times.

Officials from Liverpool John Lennon airport said last night it was an issue between the CAA and the airline, and that it had not been brought to their attention either at the time or since.

Flyglobespan confirmed that two senior managers had been “replaced” since the incident last year.

A spokesman or the airline said that, while some issues from early last summer were still “unresolved”, they were operating their current programme with full CAA approval.

He added: “Until we have seen exactly what the CAA documents contain, we cannot comment in detail but would stress that we have already had initial discussions with legal teams who specialise in these matters and, in court, will vigorously contest any allega- tions we deem to be unjustified.

“We fully accept that having started the investigation process, the CAA is duty-bound to see it through to its conclusion.”

A spokesman for the CAA said: “The last time we charged an airline under these counts was 1998, so it is not something we do very often and shows that we take it very seriously.

“The fact we have gone to these measures shows there could well be a case to answer.”

The case is due to be heard at City of Westminster magistrates’ court on July 2.