Court opens procedure on suspension of ITA flights - ISTOÉ DINHEIRO

The Ministry of Justice and Public Security yesterday opened an administrative proceeding against the airline ITA, of the Itapemirim Group, due to the abrupt suspension of flights that left more than 45 thousand passengers without service this end of the year.

ITA will have 20 days to present its defense in the context of the process. Upon completion of the procedure, the National Consumer Secretariat may impose a fine of up to 11 million on the company, in addition to determining other precautionary measures to serve consumers not assisted by the company.

When defending the opening of the administrative process, the General Coordination of Technical Consulting and Administrative Sanctions of Senacon pointed out signs of infringement of six articles of the Consumer Defense Code in the case of ITA.

“Not only does the objective responsibility for the integral part of the airline in its business and its respective area apply, but also the non-fulfillment of what was offered and acquired in a delicate situation of pandemic and even in the middle of the year-end festivities. In addition to the damage generated, this fact adds up to great frustration in the expectation of consumption”, records an excerpt of the document.

At first, Senacon notified Itapemirim Transportes Aéreos to provide clarifications on the suspension of its activities. The Department of Consumer Protection and Defense asked the company about the accommodation of passengers on other flights and assistance to consumers at airports awaiting the company’s flights.

The DPDC even demanded a service plan for passengers who were injured and questioned the reason for the shutdown of all customer service systems.

The company responded to Senacon’s inquiries, but the information was considered ‘unsatisfactory’. Thus, the preliminary investigation into the case was converted into an administrative proceeding.

Senacon says it monitors developments of the case on a daily basis with Procons in the States, in addition to the suspension by the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) of the ITA’s authorization to operate.

To the state, the company’s president, Sidnei Piva, stated that the company is not in a state of bankruptcy and that he has made contacts with investment funds interested in making contributions to the business.