Air Moldova grounded after losing airworthiness certificate
The Civil Aviation Authority of Moldova has suspended Air Moldova's Air Operator Certificate (AOC), effectively grounding the airline. The suspension is due to the lack of at least one aircraft with a valid airworthiness certificate.
The airworthiness certificate for Air Moldova's aircraft expired on August 21, 2023. Without a valid airworthiness certificate, an airline cannot hold an Air Operator Certificate.
Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Dumitru Alaiba said that Air Moldova had lied to people, selling tickets at unrealistic prices, for flights that they likely knew would not take place.
"They took people's money, the flight did not take place, and they did not give back the money. This is the business model of Shor. Some travel agencies also got into this choir, who also sold tickets. I will be explicit: those who ran Air Moldova consciously mocked people. We will not leave people alone," Alaiba wrote on his Facebook page.
The minister assured that the Consumer Protection Agency is receiving complaints from citizens and will order both travel agencies and Air Moldova to compensate people.
Air Moldova has repeatedly cancelled all flights in recent months due to the company's precarious financial situation. Recently, the largest airline in the Republic of Moldova denied the statements of the central authorities regarding the bankruptcy of the company. In its last message, Air Moldova announced that it is suspending flights until September 14, 2023, inclusive.
The suspension of Air Moldova's AOC is a major blow to the country's aviation industry. The airline is the largest in Moldova and provides essential air links to the rest of Europe. The suspension is likely to cause significant inconvenience to passengers and businesses.
