- The carrier is barred from taking off or landing at any Airports Company South Africa’s site
- Mango Airlines operates mainly in domestic market
- The grounding is an indication of the deteriorating financial position at Mango Airlines
Mango Airlines, the low cost arm of state-owned South African Airways, was forced to suspend all flights after missing payments to the country’s airports regulator, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The carrier is barred from taking off or landing at any Airports Company South Africa’s site, which includes the main hubs in Johannesburg and Cape Town, said the person, who asked not to be named as the move hasn’t been made public yet.
Mango Airlines, which operates mainly in domestic market, couldn’t be reached for comment by phone or email. The company tweeted an apology to customers for “flight interruptions and delays,” saying it is “working on a solution.”
The grounding is an indication of the deteriorating financial position at Mango Airlines. The company has been hit by the coronavirus crisis that’s hammered the airline industry, forcing bailouts and pushing some carriers into insolvency. South Africa’s government temporarily suspended air travel last year to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, starving Mango of revenue.