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Air Jamaica is facing a $42 million lawsuit for a series of safety violations allegedly committed in the United States.
The violations, which were recorded seven years ago, were filed by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) against Air Jamaica last Friday.
According to the claim filed in a District Court in Brooklyn, New York, Air Jamaica incorrectly installed air conditioning panels on an Airbus A-310 which it operated out of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The faulty installation reportedly affected the landing gear doors and forced the flight crew to make an emergency landing on December 18, 2001.
The FAA is alleging that despite the obvious damage, Air Jamaica took no immediate action to repair or maintain the aircraft.
It claims that although the plane was not airworthy, it was dispatched on 58 flights before Air Jamaica took corrective action on January 17, 2002.
The FAA says on each of the 58 flights, Air Jamaica failed to comply with US safety regulations and should pay US$600,000 in civil penalties. The management of Air Jamaica says it plans to challenge the FAA lawsuit.
Executive Chairman Shirley Williams told RJR News last night the airline is not treating the matter lightly and remains committed to its enviable safety record.
"We are very confident that when challenged we will be absolved in terms of the fines they are imposing," said Mrs. Williams.
"Certainly Air Jamaica has an unblemished safety record and we continue to maintain this record [we were] only recently awarded an IOSA Safety Award [International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)] and there are only 18 such airlines that have been so awarded," she continued.
The violations, which were recorded seven years ago, were filed by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) against Air Jamaica last Friday.
According to the claim filed in a District Court in Brooklyn, New York, Air Jamaica incorrectly installed air conditioning panels on an Airbus A-310 which it operated out of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The faulty installation reportedly affected the landing gear doors and forced the flight crew to make an emergency landing on December 18, 2001.
The FAA is alleging that despite the obvious damage, Air Jamaica took no immediate action to repair or maintain the aircraft.
It claims that although the plane was not airworthy, it was dispatched on 58 flights before Air Jamaica took corrective action on January 17, 2002.
The FAA says on each of the 58 flights, Air Jamaica failed to comply with US safety regulations and should pay US$600,000 in civil penalties. The management of Air Jamaica says it plans to challenge the FAA lawsuit.
Executive Chairman Shirley Williams told RJR News last night the airline is not treating the matter lightly and remains committed to its enviable safety record.
"We are very confident that when challenged we will be absolved in terms of the fines they are imposing," said Mrs. Williams.
"Certainly Air Jamaica has an unblemished safety record and we continue to maintain this record [we were] only recently awarded an IOSA Safety Award [International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)] and there are only 18 such airlines that have been so awarded," she continued.
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