Hermes Aviation (Malta International) has suspended its operations after the Maltese Department of Civil Aviation (DCAM) has suspended its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) at the carrier's request on January 14.

Malta's Independent newspaper says the DCAM has now launched an investigation into the carrier's operations following a request by Italy's regulatory body (L'Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile - ENAC).

Since launching flights connecting Malta, Sicily and Italy late last year in December, the airline, under its FlyHermes brand, has suffered numerous delays and cancellations leading ENAC to warn that it would ban the carrier from serving Italy altogether unless it dramatically improved the quality of its service. ENAC has afterwards announced on January 20, after a meeting with the Hermes Aviation management team, that the Maltese carrier would have demonstrated that it has fully complied with EC regulation 261 that regulates compensations for passengers affected by major flight delays, flight cancellations and denied boarding.

Hermes Aviation's B737-400 9H-HER (msn 24901) has last flown on January 12. It hopes to resume operations again at a later point in time.