Sudan grounds national airline

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan is grounding its nationalcarrier Sudan Airways from Monday for at least a month forbreaking civil aviation rules, mainly over administration, aSudanese official said on Saturday.

Mohamed Hassan Al-Mujammar, head of safety and flightoperations in Sudan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said thesuspension had nothing to do with a Sudan Airways crash earlierthis month which killed 30 people at Khartoum airport.

"The air operator certificate is hereby suspended fromMonday," he told Reuters.

He cited violations such as the general manager doing twojobs and a failure to revise operations manuals as required.

"It is high time to stop this type of non-compliance withinternational standards," he added.

Mujammar said the national carrier argued it had been toopreoccupied by the crash to take the actions urged by the CAA.

He said the airline had one month from Monday either toappeal the suspension or to carry out the necessaryimprovements.

"We have issued the suspension for all the operations ofSudan Airways, domestic and international," he said.

The black box of the crashed Airbus A310 has been found ingood condition and sent to France for examination.

Sudan has a poor reputation for air safety especially ondomestic flights. Five years ago a Sudan Airways Boeing 737crashed near the eastern town of Port Sudan, killing 104passengers and the 11 crew.

Sudan Airways officials were not immediately available forcomment on the suspension.

The company says because of U.S. sanctions imposed on Sudanit has been unable to get spare parts and training for itsplanes. Sanctions have even affected the acquisition of partsfor its newer Airbus fleet.

The airline flies mainly within the Middle East and Gulfregion and is one of the largest carriers for domestic flights.Many European, African and Middle Eastern airlines fly toSudan.

(edited by Richard Meares)