Comair (South Africa) (CAW, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) has been asked to voluntarily surrender its Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) to the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), the regulator has confirmed to ch-aviation.

“Comair voluntarily suspended its operations during the month of June 2022. Following the notification received from Comair, the SACAA responded by advising Comair that they may not proceed with any operations until such a time that they have advised the regulator of their intention to resume operations.

"The purpose of this is to ensure that the SACAA conducts the necessary oversight prior to the commencement of the operations. Having said that, things have now progressed beyond the initial stage. The SACAA is in the process of consulting [with] Comair and advised them to voluntarily surrender the AOC as per the regulations CAR 121.06.4(1) (c),” the authority said.

ch-aviation had queried the status of Comair's AOC - in provisional liquidation - following local media reports that any hope of saving Comair appeared lost, having been asked to return its operating certificate.

Comair - which operated the local franchise of British Airways and its own Kulula Air budget brand - filed for voluntary liquidation on June 9, 2022, after its administrators were unable to secure further investment in the 76-year-old airline.