Solomon Airlines grounds sole jet over contaminated fuel

Solomon Airlineshas grounded its sole jet after a fuel contamination issue. The airline made the announcement on May 1, 2023, saying they did not yet know when A320-200 H4-SIB return to service. "We are liaising with Airbus to assist with resolving the issue," said a statement from the airline. "Our team are striving to resolve the issue, whilst sourcing replacement aircraft to cover the affected services utilising operators approved and in compliance with our AOC and CAASI (Civil Aviation Authority of the Solomon Islands)." ADS-B data indicates the aircraft has not flown since April 26 when it operated a sector between Honiara and Brisbane International. The airline's A320 services on April 29 and 30 were operated by Nauru Airlines using B737-300 VH-XNU, while sistership VH-PNI ran services on May 1. Solomon Airlines is warning its A320-200 may be out of the air for the remainder of the week. This is the second grounding of a jet from a small airline in the Southwest Pacific in as many months.<br/>