THE US FEDERAL Aviation Administration reinstated ValuJet's air-carrier operating privileges on 29 August, allowing the grounded US low-cost carrier to resume flight operations as early as 4 September.
ValuJet successfully completed a series of "proving runs" for FAA inspectors in late August, and the US Department of Transportation (DoT) issued a "show-cause" order, tentatively finding ValuJet fit to resume its certificated domestic scheduled air service.
Interested parties have been given seven days to contest the DoT order. The department has found that ValuJet's management team is qualified to run the airline and that the low-cost carrier has corrected the safety concerns which caused it to be grounded on 17 June.
The Association of Flight Attendants, which has asked the DoT to remove ValuJet chairman Robert Priddy and president Lewis Jordan, is expected to challenge the order.
Source: Flight International
