Qantas criticised for maintenance 'deficiencies'

Australia’s aviation agency told Qantas Airways to improve its airline maintenance system following a review prompted by a series of problems that plagued the airline in recent months.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority said in a statement released today it told the airline to produce a plan to address “deficiencies” in meeting maintenance performance targets.

The authority’s chief executive officer of operations, Mick Quinn, said if Qantas takes action now, future safety problems will be avoided.

Last week, air safety investigators confirmed an exploding oxygen cylinder ripped a gaping hole in a Qantas jet’s fuselage mid-flight in July, forcing it to make an emergency landing.

Since then, the airline has experienced a series of problems.