Pilot suspended as ASL given green light to resume operations at Matthews Ridge

Domestic carrier Air Services Limited (ASL) has been allowed to resume operations to Matthews Ridge in Region One (Barima-Waini), days after it was suspended from flying to the interior location by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) following an incident at the runway on Sunday. Speaking with this publication, the chairman of the company, Ahamad Ally, explained that the pilot involved in the incident has been suspended for one month. However, the Civil Aviation Authority has only allowed ASL to resume flights to Matthews Ridge with an experienced senior pilot – a condition he noted has never been imposed before.

“They have released the plane – the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority. They have authorised us to go back into Matthews Ridge, but only with a senior pilot. We don’t understand that because the pilot [who was suspended] has been there more than 50 times. He’s a very safe and qualified captain. The pilot is still grounded…he’s suspended for a month, and we don’t understand why because what they are claiming never occurred,” Ally explained. He further provided information on the claims made by the GCAA regarding the suspension.
“They are claiming that the aircraft landed – because there’s ongoing construction – and that it landed short, before the designated landing spot. So, they’re claiming it landed on the construction site and damaged some of the equipment and things like that. But that never happened. When we checked, we even sent in a helicopter specifically to inspect the area, and there was nothing. It’s an old marking, which I think may be from another operator. It probably happened before.” Amid this, he expressed his belief that an individual at Matthews Ridge may be creating issues to the detriment of the company. He added that the situation has caused a major setback, noting that the company has lost a significant amount of revenue since the pilot has been unable to operate.
“But I think somebody on the ground at Matthews Ridge is creating problems for us. You know, there are other operators and agents. But we do about three flights daily. If I gave a daily estimate, the pilot would be losing about $75,000 a day. If he flies a full day, he could be losing up to $80,000 daily, [and ultimately] for the company we have been losing approximately 5 million dollars per day.”
Meanwhile, in a statement on the incident issued on Thursday, the GCAA rejected claims that it imposed unjustified restrictions on Air Services Limited, maintaining that its actions were taken in keeping with its legal mandate to ensure aviation safety. In a statement issued on Thursday, the GCAA said the suspension of Air Services Ltd’s operations into Matthews Ridge, Region One (Barima-Waini), was a precautionary measure pending an investigation into a reported incident. The GCAA noted that the Civil Aviation Act 2018 empowers the Director General to take immediate action, including the suspension of licences, where safety concerns arise. According to the GCAA, the suspension of a pilot and the imposition of temporary operational restrictions were necessary to reduce the risk of a more serious incident. It added that these measures are subject to formal investigation and review, with due process to be followed.