Struggling Brazilian carrier Vasp has suffered a difficult month and has been forced to prepare a rescue plan to avoid imminent grounding by the government.
The airline has endured a 24h staff work-to-rule, and the grounding of six of its 18-strong Boeing 737-200 fleet by the Brazilian civil aviation authority for non-compliance with locally issued airworthiness directives concerning the 737 airframe.
A further three 737s were grounded due to spares shortages and scheduled maintenance work, which forced the airline into cancelling around 15 flights a day during late September.
The work-to-rule forced the carrier's chief executive Wagner Canhedo to negotiate an emergency bank loan to defray delayed salaries.
A total of 380 employees were sacked, reportedly including the carrier's entire Airbus A300 flight and cabin crew staff. Seven routes were cut from Vasp's network, leaving passengers stranded at destinations after other domestic airlines refused to endorse Vasp tickets.
The airline has also been levied a $4.9 million fine by a S‹o Paulo labour court. At the same time, local suppliers declaredthat aviation fuel would be provided only against daily payments. Then Brazil's leading airport administration authority, Infraero, took a similar decision.
With around $274 million owed for airport services, Vasp has had to pay air fees daily, but flight cancellations continue.
Finally, Brazilian engine overhaul enterprise GE Celma filed in a S‹o Paulo court a bankruptcy suit against the airline, claiming non-payment of $3.1 million for overhaul and maintenance services performed over the last two years. The airline, which is burdened by an $887 million debt amassed since its privatisation in 1990, received a six-month stay of execution after complying with a Brazilian government demand earlier this month to draw up a new debt-payment plan or face grounding.
JACKSON FLORES / RIO DE JANEIRO
Source: Flight International
