Air France has admitted temporarily grounding seven of its premium service Airbus A319ERs after realising wheel-brake systems had exceeded the number of permitted cycles without inspection.
The small 'Dedicate' fleet serves oil-industry destinations in Africa and the Arabian peninsula, their cabins equipped to high-end business-class standards.
Air France says three of the A319s were at base, and four at outstations when the oversight was noticed by the engineering base at Paris Charles de Gaulle.
The latter four jets underwent emergency brake system inspections at African outstations and were then returned to service, says the airline.
African destinations served by these specific A319s include Malabo in Equatorial Guinea, N'Djamena in Chad and Pointe Noir in Congo, and they also serve Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
