For Immediate Release
July 1, 2002
Contact: Allen Kenitzer
Phone: (425) 227-2004
RENTON, Wa. — The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed to assess a $247,500 civil penalty against Hainan Provincial Aviation of Haikou, Hainan, China, for allegedly violating U.S. Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations.
The FAA alleges that on July 19, 2001, HPA improperly offered a passenger service unit with an attached and undeclared chemical oxygen generator for transportation by air. The hazardous materials were not declared, the crew was not notified the flight was carrying such materials and the shipment was in packages that did not meet specifications for its transport. Oxygen generators are prohibited from being transported as cargo on passenger aircraft.
The route of this package was Haikou to Beijing. The shipment then flew on a United Airline passenger flight from Beijing, to Narita, Japan, to San Francisco. Calif., arriving on July 20, 2001. In the United States the shipment was transferred to ground transportation and arrived in Seattle, July 23, 2001. The Boeing Seattle Service Center opened it and discovered the oxygen generator.
FAA alleged that HPA offered as cargo, hazardous materials that were not properly classed, described, packaged, marked, labeled, or in a condition for shipment required by the hazardous materials regulations. FAA further alleged that Hainan did not provide required emergency response information.
HPA will have 30 days from its receipt of the FAA's enforcement letter to respond to the agency. This announcement of the proposed civil penalty is made in accordance with the FAA's policy of releasing information to the public on newly issued enforcement actions in cases involving penalties of $50,000 or more.