CAA on notice over 'ratbag' airlines

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been put on notice over poor monitoring of "ratbag" airplane operators that could be endangering people's lives.

MPs on the transport select committee expressed horror today that the Auditor-General's office was unable to report progress on improvements to the CAA's enforcement regime.

One said the situation was bad enough to "send chills down the spine of everyone who gets on a plane" and he would catch a train to Auckland tonight.

The Auditor-General reported on the CAA last year and today he said in a a written report to the committee: "As little action had been taken to address the recommendations in our 1997 and 2000 audits, we still had concerns with the surveillance function."

The surveillance of smaller planes (under 10 seats) needed to be more rigorous.

The Auditor-General's transport sector manager Marilyn Little said the CAA collected lots of information but did not do much about it -- "leaving you to ask...so what?"

From the audit it appeared "high risk operators" did not get enough surveillance, she said.

The CAA had responded to the Auditor-General's concerns but would be unable to report on any progress until the end of the year.

It was not making incremental changes, but instead implementing them all at once.

"The rubber has not hit the ground yet," Ms Little said.

National MP Maurice Williamson was horrified that things did not appear to have improved since he was transport minister

He said in the mid 1990s he had been "gobsmacked" to discover that one small airline had been repeatedly warned about major deficiencies.

Nothing was done about the problems and the airline was reissued licences numerous times allowing it to fly even though its non-compliance became worse not better.

"When the plane finally crashed...it was predetermined to happen," Mr Williamson said.

He had "yelled and screamed", but was told by officials they could not have grounded the airline.

Mr Williamson told officials "I read your report and little has changed."

One critical non-compliance -- meaning potentiality life threatening -- had not been acted on for 400 days and 19 had taken more than 100 days.

The CAA did not seem to prioritise scrutiny of "ratbags", Mr Williamson said.

There was little point having safety alerts if no one acted upon them, he said. "We would agree," said the Auditor-General's office.

- NZPA