Grounded British Airline for Sale

A Liverpool-based airline has been put into administration after being grounded by the Civil Aviation Authority following safety concerns.

Emerald Airways, which employs around 200 people at its Liverpool John Lennon Airport base and at a Blackpool subsidiary, is an aviation group operating over 30 freight and passenger aircraft on scheduled and ad hoc services throughout the UK and Europe.

The company has an annual turnover of more than pounds 25m. In March, one of its planes had to make an emergency landing at JLA after a pilot reported smoke in the cabin.

Its wholly-owned subsidiary in Blackpool, Emerald Airways Engineering, is primarily responsible for the maintenance, repair and refurbishment of passenger and freight aircraft.

Earlier this week, the CAA provisionally suspended the firm's Air Operators Certificate (AOC) following concerns over safety.

In a statement, the CAA said "The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has suspended Emerald Airways' Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) as it is no longer satisfied that the operator is competent to operate safely.

"If the operator wishes its AOC to be reinstated then it must take the necessary action which will enable it to satisfy the CAA that it is competent to operate safely."

As a result of its fleet being grounded, the firm has been unable to generate sufficient money to cover its outgoings and has consequently been placed into administration.

Administrators Richard Fleming and Brian Green, from KPMG, are now working to find a buyer for the business which they hope to sell as a going concern.

Mr Green said: " In order to achieve a sale, it is imperative that the AOC suspension is lifted, so we will be working with the Civil Aviation Authority over the coming days to achieve this.

"We would urge any parties who are interested in acquiring the business to contact us as soon as possible."

In March, an Emerald Airways plane carrying 55 passenger from the Isle of Man to Liverpool had to make an emergency landing after the pilot discovered smoke in the cabin. The aircraft landed safely at JLA. It must satisfy CAA it can operate safely.

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