The Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) has temporarily grounded seven of fourteen Dash 8 Q400 aircraft operated by regional carrier Sky Alps. The airline is due to open a base in Mostar this summer season. A team of ENAC inspectors conducted an audit at Sky Alps’ headquarters in Bolzano between February 26 and 28. “Following documentary checks and physical inspections of the aircraft, all registered with the Civil Aviation Directorate of Malta, a series of non-conformities emerged”, ENAC said in a statement. The regulator noted there were deficiencies in the aircraft maintenance certifications with respect to the flight safety requirements. Certifications provided by a particular maintenance technician were discovered “not to be compliant”. He has subsequently been prohibited from accessing airports where the carrier operates.
Although Sky Alps officially has fourteen aircraft in its fleet, four have been grounded since 2020, and following the measures issued by ENAC, only one turboprop remains in service. The Italian regulator has said Sky Alps is fully cooperating with authorities over the matter. “For these aircraft, the return to service may take place on completion of appropriate corrective actions”, ENAC noted. Sky Alps itself has not commented on the matter. The airline started operations in June 2021 as a virtual carrier and secured its Air Operator’s Certificate in January 2023.
The development comes just two months ahead of the opening of Sky Alps’ base in Mostar. This partnership was established following a successful bid by Sky Alps in a tender designed to attract carriers by providing subsidies for basing aircraft in the city. The government of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton has set aside just over 176.000 euros for Sky Alps to open its base. The carrier will introduce flights from Mostar to Bergamo, Palermo, Naples and Bari this summer, complementing services to Rome and Munich, which were launched last year.
