City Airways planes are safe, its Hong Kong-based director insists

The Hong Kong director and co-owner of City Airways has hit back at claims that the airline's aircraft are unsafe after Thai authorities suspended its operations on Saturday.

Terence Mak Hung, who was speaking to the by phone from Bangkok, said he expected operations to resume next week, after passengers were earlier left stranded.

Confusion arose after one of the airline's directors went on holiday to Japan over the weekend, just at the time when authorities requested documentation as part of routine checks, according to Hung.

"Because of this, we were able to submit only part - not all - of the documentation that Thailand's Department of Civil Aviation requested," he said yesterday. "We have today submitted full documentation to the Thai [authorities] and expect to be flying again by next week. We are awaiting their response."

All 300 passengers who had been stranded in Phuket were flown back to Hong Kong on Wednesday with three different carriers, Hung said.

City Airways said it covered the costs of all accommodation and rescheduled flights.

On Wednesday, Thai officials voiced concerns that City Airways was not following proper safety procedures for the maintenance of its aircraft.