By Newsfeed/Reuters
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil’s civil aviation regulator ANAC said on Friday it had suspended all flight operations of carrier Avianca Brasil in the country, as a precautionary measure.
“All flights are suspended until the company proves it can maintain operations safely,” ANAC said in a statement.
Avianca Brasil has filed for bankruptcy protection and lost most of its fleet after lessors obtained court decisions allowing them to repossess aircraft for failure to pay. It is still trying to reach a deal to sell its remaining assets.
The carrier was operating around 30 flights per day using the planes it had left. ANAC said, without setting out details, that it decided after receiving information regarding the operational safety of Avianca Brasil flights.
Avianca Brasil’s press office said the company would comment on the ANAC measure later on Friday.
The regulator said passengers who had flights booked with Avianca Brasil in the next few days should not go to airports, but should instead contact the company about arranging refunds or flights from other carriers.
(Source: Reuters)