Aviation regulators ground balloon company

The Civil Aviation Authority has banned Christchurch tourism company Balloon Adventures Up, Up and Away Ltd from operating in New Zealand.

CAA yesterday served a "notice of prohibition" which indefinitely stops the company from flying any of its seven hot air balloons - the first time section 21 of the Civil Aviation Act has been used to prohibit an aviation company from operating.

The block on flights followed "serious safety concerns" discovered in safety audits and spot checks, CAA said in a statement.

"The company had breached several minimum safety standards and carried out unauthorised maintenance," it said.

Civil Aviation director Steve Douglas said Balloon Adventures Up, Up and Away Ltd should not be carrying fare-paying passengers: "The operation presents a threat to people's safety, and have taken action to stop it."

The CAA said it will considering any future options with the company.

Normally CAA would have suspended or revoked the operation's air operator certificate, but ballooning operations are not currently required to hold these certificates.

A new rule has been drafted to force such certification for all adventure tourism activities, including hot air balloons, microlights, warbirds, and tandem hang gliders and paragliders.

- NZPA