Barrier Aviation boss David Kilin has accused the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of holding a "personal vendetta" against him which has caused the permanent grounding of his Cairns-based airline.
The managing director said the stoush over alleged maintenance issues, which came to light when CASA suspended the airline's operation in December, would eventually crush the charter company.
"In my opinion, and the opinion of many others, CASA's draconian approach has been a personal vendetta against me, hidden behind their catchcry 'it is all about safety'," Mr Kilin said in a statement issued yesterday.
"Their PR machine has been both cunning and manipulative, whilst we have been shackled and made to toe the line every step of the way."
The company, which operated services out of Cairns, Horn Island, Darwin and Gove and had 56 people on staff, is now managing with a skeleton staff and a minimum number of company-owned planes
According to CASA spokesperson Peter Gibson, Barrier Aviation was served a 66-page notice at 5pm on Wednesday outlining why the aviation watchdog had cancelled their air operator's certificate, and the carrier had 28 days to appeal the decision through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Mr Gibson said the notice outlined evidence of the company disregarding rules for maintenance and knowingly operating defected aircraft.
"There were three audits in the second half of 2012 and it was on the findings of those which led to the suspension in late December," he told The Cairns Post.
"Then there was an investigation between December and now, where we delved into the issues in great details.
"We have evidence of them undertaking unsafe operations ... "
Mr Gibson said CASA was not "making an example" out of Barrier Aviation but simply focusing on information of the company "undertaking unsafe operations".
"We make these decisions and take action purely on the evidence before us," he said.
While CASA would not publicly release the 66-page report saying it could affect Barrier Aviation's attempt to overturn the decision, Mr Gibson said the authority would turn their focus to other companies operating in Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait.
"We will continue to keep a close eye across all Far North Queensland and Torres Strait operators to make sure safety standards are being maintained."
With Cape Air Transport, Westwing and Hinterland Aviation taking over most of Barrier Aviation's flying contracts since the suspension, Hinterland Aviation managing director Mark Dorward confirmed their company would employ four extra staff to cope with the increased workload.
"We've experienced extra demand and it looks like some business will be ongoing," he said.
"We will have to increase staffing in the long term.
"Obviously if an ex-employee of Barrier Aviation applies, we'll look at them on a merit basis like anyone else."
Mr Dorward added: "No one likes to look at it from gaining on someone else's demise but at the end of the day you have to look after the people (clients)."
The Cairns Post understands that the Horn Island base was the major concern for CASA with defects not being written up on a maintenance release.
Mr Kilin said the company is now exploring opportunities with their legal team to fight for an appeal.
"It is ludicrous to think that Barrier Aviation would want anything but safe planes and practices for our staff and our passengers," he said.
"A clean, 20-year reputation and business is destroyed because of bureaucrats playing out their own agendas yet again.
"Qantas and Virgin are too big to be bullied by CASA we are not.
"At this stage the future of Barrier is uncertain."
Source: http://www.cairns.com.au
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