Anton McNulty
THE MUCH-maligned budget airline, Flyglobespan, is to be prosecuted for endangering the safety of passengers flying from Ireland West Airport Knock, after allowing a 757 jet to fly ‘illegally’ to America with faulty instruments.
The case against the Scottish-based airline was brought in relation to a flight from Liverpool to JFK in New York, which also stopped off in Knock on June 28 last year. The airline was served three summonses to appear before City of Westminster magistrates in July to answer criminal charges of endangering an aircraft and its passengers. The offence carries an unlimited fine.
Flyglobespan flew transatlantic fights from IWAK to Boston and JFK airports from April until October 2007, but withdrew the service for 2008. The Sunday Times reported recently that the inquiry centres on a 12-year-old Boeing 757 which flew between Liverpool, Knock and New York.
As the jet was taking off from JFK Airport on June 28 last year both its engine pressure ratio gauges failed. The pilot reported the faults when he reached Liverpool. The plane, which was carrying more than 200 people, should have been grounded until at least one of the gauges had been fixed. But the airline authorised it to fly back across the Atlantic with neither gauge functioning. The gauges measure engine thrust, which is critical during take-off. They are on a mandatory list of equipment which has to be operational if the 757 is to be certified as air-worthy.
When the plane reached New York it was grounded until the problem was repaired, and caused havoc among passengers in New York wanting to fly on the return flight to Knock. Hundreds of passengers were stranded in New York for a number of days with many having to pay for alternative flights to Ireland.
The problem with the plane should have been reported to the Civil Aviation Authority within four days but it was left to the American regulator to report it three months later. It is understood the airline has admitted sanctioning the flights and replaced two managers.
