BY MOHAMMAD SH0EB
DOHA: Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) yesterday said that accusations made by Rizon Jet, a Qatari private jet company, were baseless as the company has been penalised for violating local civil aviation rules.
“I don’t care what they (Rizon Jet) say; and why they accuse Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. I can only say that they have violated (rules); and have been penalised,” Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Noaimi (pictured), Chairman of QCAA told The Peninsula on the sidelines of an award presentation ceremony by Qatar Meteorology Department to mark World Meteorology Day.
Each year, on March 23, the World Meteorological Organisation, its 191 members, including Qatar, and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate the day.
The CEO of Rizon Jet, Captain Hassan Al Mousawi recently accused the aviation authority of carrying “unfair competitive practices” and doing “favouritism towards state-backed Qatar Airways”. Despite prodding, Al Noaimi refused to elaborate on alleged violations by Rizon Jet.
Captain Al Mousawi recently held a press conference to register his protest against what he called “hindrances that make it impossible to sustain a viable business in Qatar.”
According to a press statement by Rizon Jet earlier, the QCAA rejected all applications from other private jet customers to use the Rizon Jet VIP terminal.
Al Mousawi said that 50 percent of the company’s revenue had previously come from other jet operators using their facilities.
The company rued the withdrawal of its travel agency licence by the QCAA only six months after it was granted.
It also said that Rizon Jet was banned from taking part in Al Khor air-show that took place in January, after initially being invited.
On the operation of the Hamad International Airport (HIA), which is set to open on April 1, Al Noaimi said: “HIA will officially start its operation with 10 airlines from April 1, and eventually by the end of 2013, in the second phase, rest of the airlines will also transfer to the new airport.”
To a question about the newly-recruited Qatari workforce for the HIA, he said that they have been working for six months as part of their on-the-job training, and they are doing fine.
Rizon Jet, established in 2006 by Ghanim bin Saad Al Saad & Sons Groups Holdings, operates a small fleet of chartered aircraft and a private VIP terminal at the Doha International Airport.
The Peninsula
