Johannesburg - Nationwide's aircraft will remain grounded until the airline has fixed deficiencies within its maintenance section, the SA Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said on Friday.
The CAA suspended approval for the airline's aircraft maintenance organisation from midnight on Thursday, said CAA chief executive officer Zakes Myeza.
It had also suspended the certificates of airworthiness of Nationwide's fleet of 16 aircraft - twelve 737-200s, five 727s and one 767.
If the airline did not comply, its licence would be revoked altogether.
"It was unavoidable," said Myeza.
He said the suspension arose from the airline's failure to comply with an airworthiness directorate issued in September and subsequent audits of its compliance.
"We cannot afford to be reckless on this because we are dealing with human lives," said CAA executive legal manager Ntheri Magoai.
four engine jock.............I sh1t you not, but that was a while ago, things have changed since then and that’s due to the Pilots standing up and saying no, but it happened and my reason for mentioning it is that
VB takes shortcuts, its a known fact. I think people should be objective on this one, its no use calling the CAA crap, for once they may have done something correctly, its all for the best I say, Nationwide maintenance can only catch a wake up from this and sort themselves out, it will be to the benefit of the company ultimately and the people who fly with them