Ras Al Khaimah: An investigation into the collapse of former Ras Al Khaimah national carrier RAK Airways has been extended by six months after the initial three month time frame lapsed.
The probe, looking into what went wrong at the airline after it suddenly suspended operations on January 1 this year, will now deliver its findings to Shaikh Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of RAK’s Department of Civil Aviation, at the end of the year.
The probe, termed the “reconstruction committee,” is headed by RAK Airport chief executive Mohammad Qazi.
In April, Qazi said the committee, which is also looking at what debt is owed by the former airline and whether anything is owed to it, would deliver its findings after three months.
But it now appears that there is a lot more to look at than initially expected.
“It’s quite a lengthy and complex task,” Qazi told Gulf News in an interview on Wednesday.
The committee, which has recruited a law firm and accountancy firm to ensure the investigation is objective, is a third of the way through after collating data on the airline. Qazi said analysing the data will be the next step.
Refunds
RAK Airways management did not survive the suspension, Qazi said, with only staff from the company’s finance department remaining to assist the committee.
Qazi said the RAK government had paid employees of the airline their end of service benefits and for refunds to passengers who bought tickets on the failed carrier for travel after December 31, 2013.
In a separate interview on Wednesday, Shaikh Salem, who is a former Vice Chairman of RAK Airways, declined to answer questions relating to the airline.
